Tough Love
by HollyShannenForever
Summary: While her at-risk students are reading classics like Romeo and Juliet, a young teacher, Esme, asks them to keep journals about their troubled lives and apply English lessons to break the cycle of violence and despair that threatens their futures.
1. Rough Lives

**This story is darker than my usual ones. I hope you enjoy it all the same! It's loosely based on the movies Dangerous Minds and Freedom Writers, but with Twilight characters. But never fear, I won't kill off anyone important! Some characters are OOC, but if you've seen either of the movies, you know they change their behavior at the end. Rosalie is based on Precious, and Alice is based on Lisa, the girl in the song "Runaway Love", by the way. Charlie is the Chief of Police in Seattle, not Forks. I don't want to make him an ignorant bad guy. And Renee isn't ignorant either.**

In Forks, Washington, all these kids have ever known is violence and rape. Crime rates are very high, and there are many people who are dead or missing. Many of these children live out on the streets or in very poor neighborhoods. This town is a war zone. Some people are lucky enough to live in rich neighborhoods, but shots are fired through the poor ones.

Alice POV:

I heard a loud banging on my door.

"Police! Open up!"

I was waiting for my father to take me to the bus for school. But they took him because he didn't pay his bills on time. My mother ran out the door, screaming for him, but a drive by bullet went right through her heart.

And I saw war for the first time.

My sixteen year old sister, Cynthia ran to see what was the matter while I just stared in shock. One minute, I thought I was going to fourth grade. The next minute, both my parents were gone. In a second, Cynthia became my legal guardian.

It was all right when we stopped crying over our parents a few months later. But then, Cynthia came home out cold. There was loud shouting and I came downstairs to see what was going on. She and a grown man were arguing, and then the man looked at me with pleasure in his eyes.

"Look, James, I love you, but I won't take your shit! Get outta here!" Cynthia screamed.

"Baby, don't be like that," James complained.

She was slumped over on the table in a few seconds, out cold, drunk. I'd never known what getting drunk meant until she explained it to me a few days after our parents were taken. I ran back upstairs and started doing my homework. The door banged open without warning and I saw James staring at me.

"Get on your bed, little girl, and I'll give you a lollypop,"

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He threw me on my bed and undid my pants. I screamed until he left me. I didn't know what happened, and Cynthia was too out of it to explain.

"He pulled my pants down and now, it hurts right here," I pointed between my legs while crying.

"Shut up loser," she mumbled, putting her head back down on the table.

"No! It hurts! What did he do to me?"

"Nothing! Get outta here, you little baby!"

"What did he do?"

"Get the FUCK out!" she yelled even louder. "I'm your guardian now, and you do as I say!"

"But-" I sniffled.

"OUT!" She pushed me up the stairs in her stupor and then fainted on the floor. "God, you wear me out…stupid little girl,"

Three years have passed, and nothing has changed, except for the fact that I am twelve years old and entering the seventh grade. Cynthia took me to the bus stop and then left me, not caring if I got on or not.

Rosalie POV:

At age seven, my eighteen year old brother, Royce, did something to me, and now, I know what he did. I remember the pain from that night, and I remember it was the same pain that I felt now, at age twelve. I had a little girl by Royce. Her name's Ashley and she's got slight cerebral palsy and needs a wheelchair. She's still adorable, though. I'm entering the seventh grade pregnant, this time, by my father. My belly is as big as a basketball, and I know the comments from my fellow classmates won't stop. I couldn't really blame them, I mean, whoever heard of a pregnant preteen? I'm almost thirteen. Wait till they found out I had a baby already and I was on my second. And imagine the laughter when I tell 'em my little girl is four years old, going on five. Yeah, like that's believable. Let's just say I was an early bloomer and got pregnant at age eight. Cuz that's the goddamned truth. My twin brother couldn't do anything to stop Royce and my father. Every time he tried, he got whipped by their belts. I loved him for trying. He was the only loving person I had in my life, besides little Ashley. Mom beat me and called me a slut for having two babies and being pregnant. She found my father in bed with me and blamed me for seducing her husband and making him cheat on her. She wouldn't listen when I told her, "Dad raped me!"

"You dirty little slut!" she yelled, and then I felt pain slash my cheek. And if it wasn't her, it was Dad and Royce. I was trying to get out the door and go to the bus down the street. But Dad had me by the neck.

"Let me go!" I cried.

"Fuckin' whore," he spat and then threw me down. I picked myself up as he laughed along with Royce. Jasper punched him in the face and then led me outside.

"You okay?"

"Whatever," I sighed. "Come on," I slipped my choker necklace over my bruises, kind of making myself look like that Esther girl in Orphan, but who cared? Jasper didn't, and he was the only person I cared about. The only reason I was alive at this moment.

Emmett POV:

When I was twelve, my mother took my virginity without me even knowing what it was. She said my cock was huge and she wanted it. So she got it while I screamed in protest. It hurt, like she was biting me or something. Dad caught her doing it a few times, but he said I was sick and needed to be taught a lesson.

"Let me tell you, boy, one day, I will destroy you once and for all!" He slammed my head into the wall, making a dent. "You're fucking fifteen years old and you've been fucking my wife for three years! Goddamnit, she does not want you! Now, get outta here and get a life!"

"Dad, she raped me!"

"Don't lie to me, you sick bastard! I should've gotten you in juvy hall three years ago!" He pushed me out on the steps. My mom was laying on the grass with a drink in her hand. She waved me forward, but I ran down the street. She chased me and caught my leg. I shook her off, but she moaned and then jumped on my back, kissing my neck.

"I love you so much, I could just eat you up!" she said, nibbling on my earlobe.

"Don't!" I complained, throwing her off me.

"Come on, baby, don't be like that. Don't ya love your mommy?" She slurred and batted her eyes at me.

"Not when you act like that!"

"Oh, sugar," she cooed. "I don't know what you're talking about. You're my baby boy. Now," she began, unzipping her pants and pulling them down while licking her lips. "Take me,"

"Oh, God, Mom!" I shook my head in disgust and then ran to the bus.

"Bye, lovemuffin!" she said, waving.

I took a seat in the back and shook my head. She was crazy.

Jasper POV:

"Leave Rosalie alone!" I hollered at Royce, pulling him off of her. I slammed him into a chair, and then felt a sharp pain on my backside. I saw my father staring down at me with rage in his eyes and a belt in his hand.

"Leave my son alone! He can do whatever he wants!"

"Look, Rosalie does not want you two raping her!"

"I can do whatever I want, asshole!" Dad yelled, whipping my face with the belt. I felt something warm and wet dripping down from my cheek to my chin. Great, another scrape to cover up.

"You stupid bitch!" I heard my mom yelling at my sister.

"Mom!" she screamed back, and it was followed by a crash. I shoved past my father and ran to the kitchen. Rosalie had face-planted into a stool and the stool was under her neck. I helped her up and we both ran to the door to try getting to the bus on time.

"Jesus. Ow," she groaned in pain, holding her neck. Then, Dad grabbed her and smashed her face into the wall, gripping her neck. I tried pulling his arms off of her, but he grunted and elbowed me in the ribs. I staggered back, but was able to help Rosalie out the door when Dad released her.

"I tell you, I'm gonna give birth any moment," she said, groaning. "After school, I gotta pick up Ash from daycare,"

"Yeah, I know. Come on, we don't want to be late," We ran down the street and almost collided with a woman walking drunkenly up our street. She looked back at us when we looked back at her. As the bus doors were about to close, I held them open and we stepped inside. Time to face our first day of seventh grade.

**How do you like it? **

**Reviews, anyone?**


	2. Wild Gang

Esme POV:

I'd always wanted to be a teacher. Carlisle was a doctor, and I felt the need to work too. After getting rid of Charles and being relieved that he was in the Ohio State Prison for good, I moved to Forks and met my new and loving husband, Carlisle. We adopted a kid named Edward, whose parents died from some disease. He was entering the eleventh grade and going out with the principal's daughter, Bella Swan.

"Here's your coffee," Renee told me, handing me my coffee.

"Thank you," I said, taking it. "I brought my lesson plans. I'd love it if you'd look them over,"

"Yes, and these are the classes you'll start with. Seventh grade, four classes, about 150 students in all. Some of them are just out of juvenile hall. One or two might be wearing ankle cuffs to monitor their whereabouts. And you see here, we'll have to revise your lesson plans. And if you look at their scores, these vocabulary lists and some of these, the books, Homer's The Odyssey, they're gonna be too difficult for them,"

"All right,"

"Also, for most of them to get here it takes three buses, almost 90 minutes each way,"

"My God,"

"So I wouldn't give them too much of a homework load. You'll just be wasting a lot of time following up on overdue work,"

"All right. Thank you,"

"You're from Ohio?"

"Yes, I moved here at the beginning of the summer,"

"It's too bad you weren't here even two years ago, you know. We used to have one of the highest scholastic records in the district, but since voluntary integration was suggested, we've lost over 75% of our strongest students,"

"Well, actually, I chose Forks High because of the integration program. I think what's happening here is really exciting, don't you? My father was involved in the civil rights movement. And I remember when I was watching the LA riots on TV, I was thinking of going

to law school at the time. And I thought, "God, by the time you're defending a kid in a courtroom, the battle's already lost. " I think the real fighting should happen here in the classroom,"

"Well, that's a very well-thought-out phrase. Esme, I think you're a lovely, intelligent woman. But you're a first-time teacher. As head of this department, I have to be confident you're capable of dealing with what we have to face here,"

"I am. I know I have a lot to learn as a teacher, but I'm a really good student. I am, and I really want to be here,"

"Those are lovely pearls," Principal Swan said, smiling.

"Thank you. From my husband,"

"I wouldn't wear them to class,"

I nodded slowly and left the room.

"My husband is a cop in Seattle,"

"Got it," I said, halfway out the door.

I thought seventh grade English class would be no big deal. But once I got into the classroom, I was overwhelmed. Half these kids were bigger than I was! I also noticed one half of the room was filled with whites, and the other half with Native Americans. Loud music was playing from MP3 players and iPods, probably stolen ones. I got out my roll sheet and waited until everyone stopped talking all at once. They weren't even paying attention to me. No one even looked up when I walked into the room. They all looked so much bigger than me. I only saw two small girls, both Native American.

"Hey!" a boy shouted.

"Hey, Sam, yo, what up?"

"Hello,"

"Hello,"

"Hey, yo, let's sit right here, man,"

"Hi,"

"Hey, girl, you wanna give me some fries with that shake?" another boy asked someone. I decided it was time to intervene.

"My name is Esme Cullen. Welcome to seventh grade English," Was this really seventh grade? They were acting like kindergarteners and looked like college freshmen! Well, except for the tiny girls about my size.

"I give this bitch a week," one of the white boys shouted. Ok, that was rude.

"Hi. Okay, I am going to take attendance…Quil Arteara?"

"Over here," he said, waving at me.

"Jacob Black?"

"Yo!"

"Rachel Black?"

"Course I'm here, my brother is,"

"Mary Alice Brandon?"

No answer.

"Mary, are you here?"

"She ain't here, move on, woman!" one of the guys snapped at me. I jumped at his loud voice because it reminded me of Charles.

"Embry Call?"

"Right here, white girl," One of the white girls in the back with a huge stomach glared at him while he snickered. I rolled my eyes inwardly. Kids could be so immature.

"Ben Cheney?"

"Here,"

"Leah Clearwater?"

"Yeah," A russet-skinned girl gave me a head nod and pursed her lips.

"Seth Clearwater?"

"Course I'm here, my sister is,"

"Kate Denali?"

"What up?"

"Garrett Duncan?"

"Yeah, baby!" he responded and then kissed Kate on the lips.

"Elizabeth Gomez?"

"It's Liz. Lizzie's fine too,"

"Jasper Hale?" The blonde boy raised a finger to show he was here.

"Rosalie Hale?"

"Do I look not here?" the pregnant girl asked snottily.

"Jared Henderson?"

"Yup,"

"Maggie Jensen?"

"Hey, girl,"

"Vera Johnson?"

"From the Upper East Side!" she cheered and slapped palms with Rosalie.

"Emmett McCarty?"

"Biggest guy in here,"

"Dude, no, I am the biggest guy in here!" Jacob yelled.

"Hey, let me finish!" I interrupted. "Anyway…uh, Charlotte Nelson?"

"Here,"

"Peter Olsen?"

"Hell yeah,"

Paul Smith?"

"Damn right, that's me,"

"Bree Tanner?"

"Only Goth girl in the room," someone muttered, and the girl rolled her eyes and raised her hand.

"Sam Uley?"

"Yeah, man, I'm the alpha of this crowd!" he shouted, gesturing to his friends who were wildly cheering. Some of the white kids gave him the finger. I glared at all of them and they laughed back at me.

"Angela Weber?"

"Oh yeah, the only bookworm in the class!" Quil shouted, and everyone groaned. Angela blushed and raised her hand.

"Kim Wilderbee?"

"Hello,"

"Claire Young,"

"The baby of the group," a girl with long black hair and bangs laughed. "No, it's fine, I'm her cousin,"

"Ooo…kay, Emily Young?"

"I just spoke to you, weirdo,"

She was chomping on a piece of gum. I walked up to her desk and held out my hand, wiggling my fingers. "Gum's not allowed in class,"

"Shut up, whore,"

"OH! No, she did _not_!" Sam hollered, kissing Emily.

"Oh, yes I did!" she laughed and then slapped palms with Kim.

"You are being very rude!" I scolded her. She was still ignoring me.

"Look, the last teacher who told her that got gum stuck in her hair, bitch. I suggest you leave her the fuck alone," Jared hissed at me.

"Hmmm," Emily smirked at me, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Her middle finger was about to show up, so I turned around and walked to my desk. I saw the door open and a tiny girl with pale skin and spiky black hair walked in. Some of the boys hooted and wolf-whistled.

"Are you Mary Brandon?" I asked.

"It's Alice, got it?" she asked, sticking her tongue out at me. "Anyone who calls me Mary gets their ass kicked. Makes me sound like some shithead nun, a'ight?"

I ignored her. "Why are you late?"

"Bus came late, k? Sheesh," She slammed her backpack on the table next to Jasper.

I noticed Emily was in Sam's lap, Leah was scowling at them, Kim was in Jared's lap and they were lip locking, Ben and Angela were holding hands and cuddling, Paul and Rachel were moaning in their seats, Garrett was repeatedly kissing Kate's cheek, and Quil was stroking Claire's head. Alice and Jasper were drawing on their skin, Rosalie was tracing circles on her belly and looking down with a glare, Emmett kept punching his hand with his fist, Jacob was staring intently at Lizzie, Bree was drawing on a piece of paper, Maggie was giving herself a makeover, and Vera was painting her nails. Embry just looked bored. It looked like they were ready to see a movie, not learn!

I sighed, shaking my head. This was going to be a very long year.

**Please read and review. For the visitors, I'm glad you're reading, but if you don't review, I will not post new chapters! And then I'll be really sad and you'll be really sad and it's a lose-lose situation. So, REVIEW!**


	3. Actions Speak Louder than Words

Esme POV:

"Who raised those kids, wild animals?" I almost screamed at Renee.

"No-"

"What, were they raised by wolves? I'm not a warden, you know. Not even close!"

"Esme, calm down. Give it time, they'll grow to like you. Be very patient with them. They've probably gone through hardships and that's why they act the way they do. They're bright kids with little or no educational skills and what we politely call a lot of social problems,"

"Damn it, Renee! You could've warned me!"

"Hey, Esme, you said you wanted to teach. Now, is that a load of bull or what?"

"No!

"So teach,"

"I ca... What? I can't teach them!"

"Yes, you can. All you gotta do is get their attention,"

"Or quit,"

"I'm sorry, but they needed a new teacher. The last one escaped out of ignorance and fear. Be brave and understanding,"

"Fine. You know what? I'm just gonna start a lesson tomorrow, whether they like it or not!"

"Good plan, Esme,"

"And they didn't ruin my pearls,"

I went to the hospital to see my husband. Some nurses gave me dirty looks, but I ignored them. I found Carlisle tending to a shot victim.

"Hey," I whispered softly.

"Esme, baby, come here," he waved me forward and then swept me into a hug. "I love you," he said, kissing my lips.

"I love you too. What happened, he was shot?"

"Yeah. Criminal activity suspected, or just-"

"Gang violence," I sighed.

"That's terrible. The police are taking the wrong people to jail, innocent people. Anyway, how did your job go?"

"Those kids are hard to tame, the students in my class. But tomorrow, I'll try teaching them something and hope they listen. One of my tactics has got to work. But all they like is sex and violence,"

"Romeo and Juliet is all about sex and violence. Have them read that,"

"Thanks, love,"

"You're welcome," he said, kissing my forehead.

Alice POV:

She left me home alone again. I made dinner, watched TV, and got into bed at nine-thirty, but she still wasn't home. At about three AM, I heard:

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Ugh! Not again…" I groaned, rolling out of bed.

"Alice, open the fuck up!" Cynthia shouted.

"I'm comin'!" I yelled back, my voice thick from sleep.

The doorbell rang a thousand times as I hobbled down the stairs and unlocked the door. A man came in, carrying her to the kitchen. She was passed out yet again.

"Bitch, when she tells you to open up, do it!" he shouted at me, making me flinch.

I ran upstairs and got into my bed. I tried to close my eyes, but the door to my bedroom opened.

"Hey. I'm Aro. I'mma make you feel all better, sweetheart," he said, sliding on my bed next to me. I tried moving away, but he pulled me on top of him. He finally stopped when my five AM alarm went off.

That's the reason I was always late for school. I slept in.

Rosalie POV:

"JASPER!" Maria screamed, running into my brother's arms. I don't even know why they dated, I mean, she was filthy rich and we were dirt poor. She was on the cheerleading squad, and he ate cheerleaders for breakfast. So, what, did he have a split personality? She didn't even acknowledge my presence, the bitch.

"Why can't I come to your house?" she asked, pouting.

Because it's a shit house, that's why. We're embarrassed by the way we live. Our other family members are assholes. But I didn't tell her that. She had no right to know.

"I think you would be surprised,"

"Yeah, I love surprises!" she squealed, jumping on his back. I swear, the noise broke my eardrums. "Oh, whatcha gonna name your baby?"

"None of your damn business," I retorted.

"Slut," Lauren giggled while she passed me with Jessica.

Goddamn it, those bitches were crazy. Didn't they know not to mess with me? Guess not. So, I did what I usually did when I was angry. I punched, not the air like in my house, but their faces. Soon, a crowd was gathered around us.

"Everyone return to your classrooms immediately!" Principal Swan announced over the loudspeaker. I ignored her and made Lauren's eye blacker and bloodier and almost killed Jessica from the kicks I was giving her ribs.

"Rose, let it go! Come on, let it go," Jasper said gently, pulling me off the girls. I growled and stalked off.

"Your sister's a psycho," Maria murmured in Jasper's ear. He shook his head.

"Naw, babe, she's just self-defensive,"

"You shouldn't fight," a girl with brown hair and chocolate brown eyes told me. "Talk it out instead. I'm Bella, by the way, the principal's daughter," She gave me a smile and held out her hand for me to shake it.

"Figures," I said, pushing her hand away. "You're rich. We're not. We use our fists. Actions speak louder than words,"

"Your funeral!" she called after me.

"Fuck you,"

"Hey! That was not nice!" a copper haired boy said, coming at me. I slapped him across the face.

"Shut the fuck up before I kill you," I said, gritting my teeth. He held up his hands in surrender and backed away. Good choice.

"Let's just go, Edward," Bella yelled at the boy, waving him forward.

"Watch your language, girl," Maria warned.

"Watch your life," I retorted and walked back to class.

Jasper POV:

I took Maria to my house after school, just to show her how I lived. I didn't love her all that much, she was too snobby. She always asked about my scars in a nosy way, and I hated that. She wrinkled her nose when she got on the bus, because she was used to riding in her mom's van. It was pathetic. I've heard of six year old kids using the bus! She was saying she was too young and all that shit. She took one look at our run down apartment and ran. Literally ran, screaming "Eeeeew! It stinks!"

Rosalie hit my shoulder. "Find a girl in the projects next time, stupid,"

"Sure, sure," I said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Maybe someone from our class,"

"I'll try,"

Emmett POV:

Man, today was torture. First, this rich teacher comes into our classroom and expects us to learn things and stuff. She probably thinks she's better than us. Then, she yells at various students to stop what they're doing. It's just really bad what she's trying to do. We're worthless and can't learn anything for shit. Even I know that. Maybe she is stupider than us and she doesn't know we can't learn. At least that's what my parents said. Mom said I was only good because of my big cock, and Dad thought I was a piece of shit on a stick. He even said one time that I came out of his ass in one of his sick dreams. So, why was Mrs. C being all perky at us when we're showing her our true colors? I'd never met anyone as happy as she was. Well, she was rich. That must have been why. Yeah, that was it.


	4. Words Have Power

Rosalie POV:

Great, the bitch was back. We didn't chase her away, after all. And this time, she had a stupid pile of books in her hands.

"Whaddup, Teach?" Alice asked, dropping an apple on her desk. I snorted with laughter and sat down in the back next to Jasper.

"Thanks, Alice," Mrs. C said gratefully. Wait, she was grateful? That apple was probably rotten and had a worm crawling out of it. I mean, I hated her, but did she need to die? Maybe just get out of here, though. Regardless, I smiled and gave Alice a high five. I noticed she had red slits on her wrists, just like I did. A girl friend, just what I'd always wanted.

"It's poisonous. Teachers never actually _eat_ the apples, Mrs. C," Alice said, shrugging.

Emmett slammed his fist on the table, shaking with laughter. Everyone else joined in and I snorted between my giggles.

"I'm glad I provide entertainment for you all. Are you ready to learn English now?"

That was the stupidest thing I'd ever heard. Of course we wanted her to keep making herself look idiotic. We all threw spitballs at her and booed.

"That's it," Mrs. C said, banging her palms on the desk, staring at us with cold eyes. "You guys are going to read Romeo and Juliet and learn vocabulary and poetry! This is school, not a saloon!"

Wrong choice of words. Because the boys started wolf-whistling and saying how they wanted to see her on a pole with skimpy clothing, making her blush. She was weak, and we could take her down. They chortled until Mrs. C cleared her throat.

"Don't be disrespectful. You may call me Esme if you want. Now, you guys will like Romeo and Juliet, I think, because it's about forbidden love, sex, violence…" she trailed off, grinning and nodding like some stupid clown.

"Yeah!" Angela cried out, clapping her hands.

Course she would love it. But even I liked the idea of Romeo and Juliet. It sounded like something we'd think was cool.

"It's by William Shakespeare, and it's hard to understand, but I bought the Shakespeare Made Easy version for all of you. Take one book and pass it down the row,"

It didn't take long for the door to open. Miss Goody-Two Shoes herself, Bella Swan, Renee's daughter, walked in the room, beamed at Mrs. C, and they hugged. Gag me. Some people snickered around me.

"Class, this is Bella Swan. She's in eleventh grade and she'll be student-teaching this class. She'll be my aide for the semester,"

"Yo, Bells!" some people shouted at her. She blushed and sat at the far corner of the room.

She was such a teacher's pet. I should've known I'd see her again today.

I saw Jacob staring at her like he'd never seen the sun before. Gross. What did he see in her anyway? He was one of the leaders of the La Push gang, and they were forbidden to date "white girls" like me and Bella. Oh, god. Not me and Bella. I did not just put her in the same sentence as "me". Ok, I was white, but Bella was like, albino! Really albino, like she didn't get sun. She joked that her mother was part albino. Leah replied that she was part retard. Esme told her to shut up and pay attention to the lesson.

Someone nudged me and I turned around. It was Vera, the girl from New York.

"Hey. I'm from New York, too, ya know," I told her.

"Awesome. Who's the dad?" she asked, pointing to my stomach.

"It doesn't matter,"

"Wanna be friends?"

"Sure,"

"Then tell me. I won't tell anyone,"

"My dad,"

"Fuck, that's sick,"

"I know,"

"Hey, that sucks, girl!" Alice cried.

"Tell me about it," I said, leaning back in my chair and slumping a little.

Alice yawned really loudly and put her head on her desk. Esme crashed her hand on her desk and Alice woke up with a start. She rubbed her eyes. "Leave me alone…" she mumbled under her breath, followed by some yawns.

"Sleep at home. Not in class. Now, open your book to page three!" Mrs. C instructed.

I wanted to punch this bitch in the face. I didn't get much sleep at home either, and it was a wonder that I was staying awake.

"Fine, whatever,"

Jasper POV:

"So, if you wanna pass, all you have to do is try," Esme stressed. "Because at this point, everyone has an "A.""

"What?" Emmett asked.

"ls she serious?" I asked.

"But it's up to you to keep it,"

"Bullshit," Sam grunted.

"Yo, why don't you shut up, man. What if it ain't bullshit? Ain't never had no fuckin' "A" before," Jacob exclaimed.

"Emmett, why don't you start reading. Right here," She pointed to the page, accidentally touching his finger.

"Don't you fuckin' touch me, bitch!" he seethed.

"Sorry, it was an accident, I'm so sorry," Esme said, backing away. "Now, read,"

Was she kidding us? No one in here could read. This was college shit.

Emmett POV:

No one ever taught me to read. "Are you insane? I can't read, Mrs. C!" I boomed.

"Try. Don't you want that A?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Then start. Act One, prologue,"

"Act One," I read. "Pro…log…ooo,"

"Prologue," Esme corrected me. "The 'ue" is silent,"

"That's fuckin retarded!" But I went on, to shut her up. "Two households, both alike in dignity,

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;

Whole misadventured piteous overthrows

Do with their death bury their parents' strife.

The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,

And the continuance of their parents' rage,

Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,

Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;

The which if you with patient ears attend,

What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend…what does this even mean?"

"Very good, Emmett! Now, why do you think people fight instead of use their words? Anyone?"

The blonde girl with blue eyes raised her hand.

"Yes, Rosalie?"

"Actions speak louder than words,"

Everyone was stunned. That sounded…smart. Even Mrs. C was surprised. She raised her eyebrows. "Where did you learn that?"

"My parents and my brother told me and Jasper that. It's better to hit with your fists than use your mouth. See, if you just tell someone not to do something, well, they won't listen, unless they're Goody Two Shoes Bella here, but if you use your hands, when you get slapped or punched or hit…you try not to do it, cuz you don't wanna get hit. You don't wanna feel the pain. When you see that bruise on your face from the last time he or she hit you, when you touch it, it hurts and you cringe…it reminds you to listen when you're being told to do something,"

I loved this girl.

"And have any of you heard 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?'" Mrs. C asked.

"Nope," some people replied.

"Well, do you think that is true? Can words hurt people or not?"

"I dunno," Kate responded.

"Well, let me try something here. Uh…Jasper, get up here,"

Jasper walked to the front of the room.

"You stupid, worthless, good-for nothing asshole! You'll never survive in this world on your own! You're freakin' pathetic!" Mrs. C yelled at him. Jasper shrank back, and she smiled winningly. She calmed her voice. "Now, tell me how that made you feel,"

"Like normal, I'm used to it," he said, shrugging. "We all hear that. It's how we get along in this world. Our parents call it 'tough love',"

"But you shrank away from me. Didn't my words hurt you?"

Her words certainly stung me, cut me like a knife, and she wasn't even talking to me. I noticed some of the girls around me wiping their eyes. Rosalie sniffled and Vera got out a tissue. Alice bit her lip hard and a tear rolled down her cheek. They stopped when Mrs. C looked back up at us.

"Er, not really," Jasper said, bored.

"Tell her the truth, stupid!" Jacob shouted, throwing a paper airplane at him.

"It hurt you, didn't it? Didn't it, you nasty piece of-" Mrs. C started at him viciously again.

"Fine, whatever, I just don't like pouring out my emotions and stuff,"

"Okay. Now, I'll use different words," Her voice turned very gentle. "You can do anything you set your mind to. You are the most brilliant child I have ever laid my eyes on. I'd kill any bastard who tried to hurt you. Isn't that better? Everyone wants to hear that, am I correct?"

"No, cuz it's not true. I'm not brilliant, I'm dumber than a box of rocks. And you don't care about me. Stop lying!" Jasper hollered in her face and stormed back to his seat.

"Yes, it is true. She's trying to prove a point, guys. You are all smart, you're just not trying hard enough. You gotta try!" Bella tried to urge us.

"Shut up," Emily muttered and rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows we're just a bunch of worthless rejects,"

"She was just giving us an example," Sam added.

Mrs. C closed her eyes and put a hand to her temple. "I was speaking from my heart. You all need to believe in yourselves. You are much better than you're trying to act. I know that. I don't know you personally, but I know that you can do better. Now, who can tell me what the prologue means?"

When no one answered, she sighed. "It means that two families both of the same social status, like both rich, are rivals. They're from Verona, and their children are secret lovers. It's kind of foreshadowing, telling you a little about what's gonna happen. I want you all to read act one, scene one and two, due tomorrow. At the end of this book, you are all going to write a mini story about star-crossed lovers," she instructed as the bell was ringing. "Tomorrow we are conjugating verbs and discussing your homework, so make sure you do it!" she added as we started packing up.

We groaned and then gathered our supplies. How was I gonna get this done with my parents bothering me? Jeez.

Alice POV:

I don't know why I started crying in the middle of class like that. Cynthia forebidded crying. It was a sin to cry. It made me look like a wimp. And I was not a wimp.

"Hey," the blonde boy that Esme was yelling at earlier called to me.

"What?" I asked.

"Why don't you like being called Mary?"

"None of your business,"

I hated the name Mary because the men Cynthia brought home, the men that raped me every night, they called me 'Little Miss Mary'. That was exactly why, but I didn't want to spill my guts to this guy I barely knew.

"My name's Jasper Hale, ma'am. I'll call you Alice, if that's what you prefer,"

"Fine, sure. My sister never listens to me. She calls me whatever she wants," Fuck! Why did I say that? It just came out without warning.

"Tell her to call you 'Alice'!"

"Yeah, I know, whatever…" I trailed off. "So, this Romeo and Juliet shit really blows, huh? Can't understand a word of it,"

"Well, maybe we can read the modern version or something. Maybe your parents…?"

"I don't have parents. My sister takes care of me,"

"That's terrible! What, they just abandoned you?"

"The police took my father and my mother was shot by a drive by bullet,"

Why was I telling him all this? All my hidden secrets…God, I was an idiot. Maybe because his voice made me want to swoon? Oh, God no, I was not falling in love with him.

"My parents and my brother whip me. That's why I have scars,"

"I'm so sorry,"

"Hey, both our lives suck. In fact, all of our lives suck. We just gotta stick together, right?"

"Yeah," I agreed, covering up the cuts on my wrists. I started walking to the bus stop as he followed me.

"Sit next to me?" he invited.

"What about your sister?"

"She's taking another bus to pick up her daughter…er, I mean, our little sister, from preschool,"

"What's her name?"

"Ashley. She's got cerebal palsy,"

"Why'd you say her daughter?"

"Mistake, honest mistake,"

"Yeah, that makes more sense. No one gets pregnant before they're eleven," I said, shaking my head free of the ridiculous idea. What sick fuck would rape a little kid?

No way in hell did I want to go home. But it was nice sitting with Jasper on the bus.

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	5. Reasons

Rosalie POV:

I went to pick up Ashley from daycare. She ran to me, her little legs trotting along slowly, that was her way of running. It was the fastest she could go. But she was out of her wheelchair, what happened. I caught her before she fell a second time.

"Hi, baby," I cooed and kissed her cheek. She giggled.

"Hi, Mommy! How was your day?"

She was very smart for her age, unlike me.

"It was fine. Where is your wheelchair, you silly little girl, huh?" I asked, tickling her tummy,"

"Ooops! I forgot it. We have to go back,"

I ruffled her dirty blonde hair. "Come on," I shifted her up on my hip and walked to the center. "Hey, Tia," I called to the owner. She waved back at me.

"Hello, Rosalie. Here's the wheelchair," She rolled it to me and I caught it easily and put Ashley in her seat.

"Mommy, they said I was too old for day care. They said I have to go to kindergarten now. I am almost five, you know," She held up five fingers proudly.

"I know, sweetie. I'll enroll you in Forks Elementary, and you'll have to take the bus,"

"I wanna go with you," she said, pouting.

"I know, but I can't drive, and I have to go to school myself. So, I'll walk you to the bus stop, how's that?"

"Sure," she agreed. "And Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"How are babies born?"

Oh, boy.

Esme POV:

Today, I felt accomplished.

I felt like I'd done something useful by teaching the kids about the power of language and tone of voice. But they still felt worthless. Carlisle came home at seven when I was making dinner. I heard the door open and close. I started humming to myself as I stirred the pasta.

"Hey, sweetheart," he whispered into my hair, wrapping his arms around my waist. I leaned my head back against his chest and sighed. He kissed the top of my hair and I smiled.

"Hey, honey. How was work?"

"It was all right, except for that two girls came in almost dead. Apparently some girl from their school beat them up,"

"Yeah, she's probably from my class. I wonder if they did anything to provoke her. I'll have to watch for more fights at the school and do anything in my power to stop them. These kids in my class, they're really messed up. They seem to think fighting with fists is a better way to solve problems rather than just talking it out,"

"And how are you going to help these poor kids? They obviously have bad home lives,"

"Yeah, sounds like it. This girl told me her parents say actions speak louder than words and if someone hits you when you don't listen, it reminds you to listen. That's exactly what Charles thought. And another thing, I taught them the phrase 'sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me'. They actually believe that. I gave them an example, straight out of what I remember Charles saying to me a few times, and no one seemed surprised or hurt. They're just used to it. And they think I'm lying when I tell them they're smart. I was telling the truth, I swear," I said.

"I know, hon, I believe you," he said, stroking my hair. "Now, let me take care of dinner,"

"No, I can do it," I protested.

"Baby, please," he whined, tickling my sides so I'd drop the ladle. I giggled and he carried me to the couch and turned on the TV. He kissed me until I pushed him off me so he could finish dinner.

"Hey, Mom!" Edward called as he got in the house, back from his piano lesson. "How was work? Is Dad here?"

"Son, I'm finishing up dinner! Work was great! Your mom's relaxing in front of the TV," Carlisle answered for me.

"In here, Ed," I said, beckoning him to the couch.

"Long day?" he asked me.

"Oh, yeah. Those kids have self esteem issues. I'm teaching them Romeo and Juliet and vocabulary, and I'm gonna help them out with life, too,"

"It's a cruel world out there. People will knock you down, but you have to learn to pick yourself up and stand up for what you believe in. Tell them that, okay?"

"Thanks," I said, hugging him.

Jasper POV:

I was trying to read the first two scenes. It seemed like it was about this dude named Romeo who was pining after someone who didn't love him back and then this other dude named Paris who wanted to marry this girl, Juliet. The rest of it was very confusing, and I read the same paragraph over and over again, distracted by Rosalie's screams. I went into the dining room where I saw her being pushed into the table by Mom. Her copy was thrown across the floor and several pages had been torn out.

"You wanna read, you bitch? Reading gets you nowhere!"

"Mom, it's my homework! Mrs. Cullen told us to-"

Mom slapped Rose across the face again and twisted her arm behind her back. "Talk back to me again, you stupid whore. Just try it. I don't give a fuck about Mrs. Cullen!"

"Mom, stop it!" I yelled, trying to pull her off Rosalie.

"Get away from me, moron. Laurent, get the belt!" she screamed when I wouldn't get off her.

"Ow, Mom, you're hu-hurting me," she said, sobbing.

"Don't you dare cry in front of me! I don't care how much it hurts. I can slap you all I want, you useless, stupid, fat cow!"

Dad walked in the room and threw me across the room. I landed on the book, ripping it some more with the force of his throw. I felt stings on my back for about five minutes, and then Royce kicked my side. They both grabbed Rosalie and threw her on the couch. Her body shook and she covered her face with her hands and continued to cry. I slowly got up and picked up the ruined book. I knew there was nothing I could do now, because they'd just hurt me some more.

"Make fuckin' dinner, bitch," Royce said, sneering at her. I couldn't read while there was madness in this house. Like Mrs. Cullen would ever believe me and Rosalie that her book was torn up by our family. If she thought she was being nice to us, that was just acting. She was just like the others, only she wanted us to learn. Not that she cared about us, she just wanted her money. She was in it for the money. I closed my book and put it back in my bag. I'd try to read more on the bus. I'd also sit with Alice again, because she didn't say much, and she'd leave me alone. She'd understand, because she was poor, too.

Alice POV:

For once, being home alone was okay. I could read without any interruptions. Reading the modern text made it a whole lot easier. I could tell Mrs. Cullen pitied us, though. She was just talking nice because we had it rough. But no way would we let her in our private lives! This play sounded really good. I hoped there was a movie made out of it or something. At about seven, I made a burrito for myself and then got in bed at nine. At about midnight, the door opened and there was a lot of commotion. People were cheering and I smelled alcohol. I trudged down the stairs and saw millions of college kids filing through our front door, Cynthia leading the group. Was she throwing a house party? It sure seemed like it. Well, this was sure to keep me up all night. I went back upstairs, yawning, and fell on my bed. I put a pillow over my head, covering my ears to muffle the sounds. At about one AM, though, someone pushed me out of the bed.

"We need a room, kid. Get out,"

"I'm sleeping!"

"Sleep somewhere else,"

"OH!" I groaned in frustration. I tried sleeping in the bathroom, but God, that was uncomfortable. I woke up with kinks in my neck. The stale smell of beer and whiskey hung in the air. Cynthia woke up at about seven, and I knew I'd be late again. And also very tired and cranky. I slept on the bus and then felt it stop. I still felt very out of it and splashed cold water on myself to wake myself up. Then, I took a pair of scissors and slit my wrists again. They were crisscrossing down my arms. Every time Cynthia made noise with her guys or had a party, I hurt myself.

What did I do to deserve this lousy lifestyle?

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	6. Warnings

Emmett POV:

We all came into class at eight, but once again, that shortie never showed up till eight-thirty. Mrs. C rolled her eyes. "Alice, you're late for the third time in a row. Make it a fourth, and I lock the door. It's like you don't even care about coming to my class on time, so why bother coming at all?"

"Hey, pixie sticks!" we yelled at her. She clenched her fists and faced Mrs. Cullen with a death glare that could make the Terminator run for cover. But Mrs. C didn't budge.

"YOU WANNA KNOW WHY I'M LATE? YOU WANNA FUCKIN' KNOW WHY?" Alice exploded. Wow, for such a small girl, she had huge lungs. Then, her voice came out in hisses. "It ain't none of your business, that's why! My sister made me late!"

"Your parents?"

"They don't live with me! Cynthia's in charge!"

"I'm going to talk to her after school, then. Can you have her come here to my room?"

"She won't talk to you. She hates authority figures, just like me!"

"Then, I'll come to your house and talk to her, around seven. How's that?"

"Do what you want," she said, sitting next to Jasper.

"'Sup, darlin'?" he asked, nudging her. She smirked.

"Mad at my sister, she got me in trouble, and now the stupid teacher's gotta go to my house like I'm in the first grade or somethin'!"

Mrs. C was checking that we read. "Rosalie, what in God's name happened to your book? It's all torn and it's got some blood on it. You need to share with someone now. What did you do, get a paper cut? Are you okay?"

Rosalie banged her hand on top of Mrs. Cullen's, but she got it away in time. "Don't _ever_ ask me about my book again. It was an accident," she growled.

"Ok, I won't. I'm sorry. But share with your brother-Jasper, your book is torn slightly,"

"So what? I can still read it,"

"That's not the point. I expect you to keep these books in top shape. I paid a lot for these books. Come on, guys! How would you feel if your property was destroyed? Did you all read what I said to read?"

"Yes," the class said all at once. I read the first sentence and then my mom kept me occupied all night. My dad gave me a good beating afterwards and I had to wear sunglasses to school today.

"We don't wear sunglasses in school, Emmett,"

"I have to,"

"Why?"

"Just makes me look cool. Leave me alone, k?" I was steaming mad.

"Rosalie, what happened to your hand?"

"Look, I burned it making dinner, all right? Happens all the time!"

"Who actually read the book?"

"I did," Alice piped up from the back. Some other kids agreed with her.

"Okay, Alice, tell me what it's about,"

"You know what it's about,"

"I do. I want to know if _you _know what's going on,"

"Forbidden love, and they live in rich houses, it sounds like, and this girl Rosaline like, dumped Romeo, and this girl Juliet has to marry this dude Paris, and she's thirteen, a year older than all of us,"

"Very good," Mrs. C congratulated her.

"Yeah right, it was just a guess,"

"It was a very good guess. You got it right. There's more, but you got it right. Now, we're going to conjugate verbs!" Mrs. C walked to the board and wrote something down.

Jasper POV:

"We eat green beans for dinner," Jacob read.

"What you do with 'em? "We eat green beans for dinner."

We just stared at her with blank expressions on our faces. Then, she wrote 'I want to die' on the board. "ls that true?"

"lf we wanna die? Shit, no," Maggie said.

"We want you to die," Jared said, scowling.

"ls that true?" Mrs. C folded her arms across her chest.

"Well, if it was between you and us, hell yeah," Kim said.

"Okay. Hey! Hey! I don't care if I live or die! What about that? Suicide, man. What's all this bullshit with dying?" Quil asked.

"You want us dead?" Claire asked, surprised.

"No, darlin', but I do want you to keep your "A." So, no, I'm gonna make it real easy on you, okay? All you have to do is tell me the verb that makes this sentence true,"

"We choose to do some fighting," I said, smirking.

"Yeah, right. Okay, give me a verb instead of "choose." We're going to die? We must die, okay. Okay, "we must die." ls "must" a verb? Can you "must" something?"

"Yeah. I must piss right now. You'd better believe it," Emmett declared. I stifled my laughter.

"Okay, what verb that we used today is the most powerful?

"Die," Sam said.

"Piss," Embry said.

"Oh, you're so stupid! Choose," Alice scoffed.

"Choose. Why?"

"Because that's the difference between owning your life and being afraid. Saying "l choose" no matter what,"

"You mean, like a guy's got a gun to your head and he's pulling the trigger and you say, "l choose to die"?"

"No, you ain't choosin' to die, but you can choose to die without screaming, right?

"I mean, you could always choose something',"

"Not where I live,"

Alice POV:

"Oh, come on, Alice! Stop just thinkin' about yourself! Y'all just a bunch o' white trash over there. We're the real gang, the LaPush gang. Y'all just a bunch o' good for nothin' fools!" Leah shouted at us.

"Shut the hell up, Leah," Garrett muttered. He showed a picture to Kate and they both laughed. We passed the picture around, but Mrs. C grabbed it.

"What is that?"

"Go, Garrett," Emmett chuckled. It was a drawing of a Native American.

"You think you know all about gangs? You're amateurs. This gang, the Nazis, would put you all to shame. And they started out poor and angry, and everybody looked down on them. Until one man decided to give them some pride, an identity and somebody to blame. You take over neighborhoods? That's nothing compared to them. They took over countries. And you wanna know how? They just wiped out everybody else. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, they wiped out everybody they didn't like, and everybody they blamed

for their life being hard. And one of the ways they did it was by doing this," She held up the picture. "See, they'd print pictures like this in the newspapers. Jewish people with big, long noses. Blacks with big, fat lips. They'd also publish scientific evidence that proved Jews and blacks were the lowest form of human species. Jews and blacks

were more like animals. And because they were just like animals it didn't really matter

whether they lived or died. In fact, life would be a whole lot better if they were all dead.

That's how a holocaust happens. And that's what you all think of each other,"

"You don't know nothing, homegirl," Sam shouted.

"No, I don't, Sam! So why don't you explain it to me?"

"I ain't explaining shit to you! Do you even know how we live? We was here first, man,"

"Just shut that shit up, homeboy," Ben said.

"All right! All right! All right! So what you're saying is, if the Latinos weren't here, or the Native Americans or the blacks or the whites or whoever they are, if they weren't here, everything would be better for you, isn't that right?"

"Of course it'd be better! It'd be better if you weren't here," Angela said.

"Right. Right. It starts with a drawing like this, and then some kid dies in a drive-by, never even knowing what hit him,"

"You don't know nothing! You don't know the pain we feel. You don't know what we got to do. You got no respect for how we living. You got us in here, teaching us this grammar shit, and then we got to go out there again. And what are you telling me about that, huh? What are you doing in here that makes a goddamn difference to my life?" Rosalie asked sharply.

"You don't feel respected. Is that what you're saying, Rosalie? Well, maybe you're not. But to get respect, you have to give it,"

"That's bullshit,"

"What?"

"Why should I give my respect to you? 'Cause you're a teacher? I don't know you. How do I know you're not a liar standing up there? How do I know you're not a bad person standing up there? I'm not just gonna give you my respect because you're called a teacher. Rich people always wanting their respect like they deserve it for free,"

"I'm a teacher. It doesn't matter what social status I am,"

"It's all about social status. It's about people deciding what you deserve, about people wanting what they don't deserve, about rich people thinking they run this world no matter what. You see, I hate rich people," I explained, glaring at Mrs. C and Bella.

"You hate me?"

"Yeah,"

"You don't know me,"

"I know what you can do. I saw rich cops take my dad away because he didn't pay his bills on time. I saw rich cops break into my house and take my father for no reason

except because they feel like it! Except because they can. And they can because they're rich. So I hate rich people on sight! Lady, stop acting like you're trying to understand our situation and just do your little babysitting up there,"

"That's all you think this is?"

"It ain't nothing else. When I look out in the world, I don't see nobody that looks like me

with their pockets full, unless they're rapping a lyric or dribbling a ball. So what else you got in here for me? And what if you can't rap a lyric or dribble a ball? It ain't this. I know that much," Emily stated.

"Damn right," Rachel agreed.

"And you all think you're gonna make it to graduation like this?" Mrs. C asked.

"I made it to high school. Ain't nobody stopped me,"

"Lady, I'm lucky if I make it to 18. We in a war. We're graduating every day we live, because we ain't afraid to die protecting our own. At least when you die for your own, you die with respect, you die a warrior," Seth said positively.

"That's right," Bree said, nodding.

"So when you're dead, you'll get respect? Is that what you think?"

"That's right,"

"That's right,"

"Yeah,"

"Yeah,"

Bella just stared at us all in shock and horror.

"You know what's gonna happen when you die? You're gonna rot in the ground. And people are gonna go on living, and they're gonna forget all about you. And when you rot, do you think it's gonna matter whether you were an original gangster? You're dead. And nobody, nobody is gonna wanna remember you, because all you left behind in this world is this," Mrs. C held up the picture again, and then ripped it up. "Grow up. The bell's gonna ring soon. Read up to act two tonight. See you all tomorrow, and Alice, I will see you and your sister tonight. Rosalie, read with Jasper,"

"Yeah, sure," I said.

"I have to step out for a moment. Bella, watch the class," Mrs. C told her.

"No problem," she replied brightly.

This class was going to go crazy, I just knew it.


	7. Fighting

Rosalie POV:

"Why you wearing that?" Emmett asked me, pointing to my choker to my extreme annoyance. He had me trapped against the wall when Mrs. C left the room for a second, only leaving Bella in charge.

"How is that your business, asshole?" I asked, glaring at him. He didn't back off, the stupid fucker!

"Just wondering if your head would come off if I took the choker off," He snickered.

What a retard. "You touch me, and your balls come off," I threatened.

"What the fuck, preggo? I was joking with ya!"

"This ain't a joke, motherfucker!" I pushed him away from me.

"Oh my God, you guys, cut it out!" Bella screeched. We ignored her.

"Don't you ever call me that again!" he bellowed, pushing my back into the wall.

"Why? I was _kidding_!" I shouted back, punching his shoulder.

"You wanna play that game?" Emmett asked, inching closer to my face. I ducked out of his way, but he stopped me again. "Slut,"

Oh, hell no! "Shut the fuck up, dickhead!"

"Hobag,"

"Stop it!" I screamed.

"Then apologize,"

"Hell no, you deserved it!" I shot back at him.

"Cunt,"

He called me the worst name in the world. The name my father and Royce always called me. Mrs. C walked in right at that moment, with Bella. Great, she ratted us out. I wanted to strangle the bitch.

"HEY! I don't tolerate that language in my classroom!" she said, her voice sounding stronger than usual.

"You stay out of it, puta," I stood up and poked her chest.

"Excuse me?" Mrs. C asked, with her hands on her hips.

"You heard her. Stay the _fuck_ out!" Emmett yelled.

"I will call the principal!" Mrs. C warned.

"Rose, just take the stupid thing off," Alice groaned.

"She can't!" Jasper shouted.

"Thank you," I said.

"Yes, she can," Alice said, rolling her eyes.

Before I could blink, Leah tore off my choker, I screamed in pain, and ran out of the room and into the bathroom. I started crying while sliding down to the dirty floor.

"Rosalie, are you in here?" I heard my teacher ask. God, she could not see me like this! Why did she have to follow me? I kicked the stall wall hard, making a large bang.

"Get out!" I hollered. My voice broke on the last word, and I bit my lip hard to keep from sobbing. I kept on kicking and punching, and soon, the toilet paper holder came off the wall with a loud boom. I hope I'd scared her away. I peeked outside. Good, she was gone. I heard the bell ring for my next class and then I left the bathroom, making sure all evidence of my tears were gone. I zippered my jacket up to my chin, covering the dark bruises that lined around my neck. Then, I put my hood up and went out to face the world.

Esme POV:

I heard shouting all the way from the teacher's lounge when we were on our lunch break. Renee and I went to inspect it. Jacob was yelling at a defenseless Bella. Was he out of his mind?

"Why don't you love me? You can't reject me! I asked you out, you say yes! I'm too dark for you, ain't I? Huh? Huh, you little rich white girl?"

"I-I'm sorry, but I have a boyfriend, Edward,"

"Where's the motherfucker?"

"Jacob!" I scolded, walking towards him. Edward walked past Jacob and then slammed him against the wall.

"Don't you ever talk to my girl like that again!"

Bella was crying. I pulled Edward away from Jacob before they could punch each other some more.

"Stop it! Use your calm voices!" I shrieked. Renee was comforting her crying daughter. Edward walked away with Renee and Bella.

"Jacob. My room, _now_,"

My son got him good, but I needed to tell Jacob not to fight anymore. He sat down in the seat across from me.

"Nasty cut," I told him. You mind telling me what the fight was about in the first place?"

"Yeah,"

"I really would like to know what happened. I'm not gonna make any trouble for you. Not just cuz it's my son you tried to beat up. I just wanna know, was it worth it?"

"Yeah, it was worth it,"

"Why?"

"Because it felt good hittin' him in the face. He was with my girl. I got him good, man,"

"Yeah, you like to hit people?"

"Yeah, I like to hit people,"

"Why? You feel angry a lot of the time?"

"So now you're gonna try and psychologize me? You're gonna try and figure me out? I'll help you. I come from a broken home, and we're poor. Okay? I see the same fuckin' movies you do, man,"

"I would like to help you, Jacob,"

"Thank you very much. And how would you like to do that? You gonna give me some good

advice? "Just say no"? You gonna get me off the streets? Well, forget it! How the fuck you gonna save me from my life, huh?"

"She was with Edward. Find someone else, okay?" I said, wishing I could just stop the subject.

"I'll fuck Lizzie,"

"Yeah, she's been eyeing you,"

"Yeah, real fun," he said, getting up.

"Be gentle with her!" I advised him before he got out of the room.

Alice POV:

As soon as Cynthia got me home, she went upstairs to get changed. She came back down with her purse and tight clothing with lots of revealed skin. Her makeup looked way too overdone.

"Bye," she said, halfway out the door.

"Wait!" I grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "My teacher needs to talk to you about getting me to school on time. She said the next time I'm late, I get locked out,"

"I'm not talkin' to some dumb teacher! What the fuck do you care if you get locked out? Free day, right? Isn't playing hooky fun?"

"Please!" I begged. "I got in trouble cuz of you!"

"Get off me, you whiny brat! I gotta go to Jane's house now for dinner!" She shrugged me off her arm and left. The tires squealed along the pavement, and she was gone. I saw the car zoom away at full speed and shook my head. I read my assignment and then the doorbell rang promptly at seven.

Great, she was here.

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	8. Caring

Esme POV:

I was a little nervous being in this neighborhood when it was so dark out. Alleys were everywhere I looked, dogs were barking, the wind was howling fiercely, and there were sirens up and down the street, but I drove up to Alice's shitty looking apartment, got out of the car and walked to the front door. I rang the doorbell and saw Alice looking out the window. She put her book down on a table. "Who is it?"

"Mrs. Cullen. Is your sister here?"

"No," she said flatly, letting me in.

She let Alice stay home alone at age twelve? I was appalled. "Where did she go?"

"Out,"

"Do you know when she'll be back?"

Alice shrugged.

"Do you want me to stay till she comes home?" I asked, following her to the kitchen. She dumped noodles into a pan and started stirring.

Alice shook her head. "I'm capable of staying home alone. I _am_ twelve, you know,"

"At least let me help you with dinner," I insisted, taking the utensil she was using to stir the noodles.

"I can cook. You interrupted me!" she said angrily, grabbing it back.

"Sorry,"

"Can you leave? My sister ain't here!"

"All right, sorry. Just making sure you were okay," I said, halfway out the door.

"Bye," was her dull reply.

"Because I care about you," I said to myself.

I got back to my house safely without getting mugged, and I was happy about that. "Carlisle, I'm back!" I sang.

"Honey!" he said, sweeping me up in a hug and kissing me. Edward groaned.

"Mom, Dad, cut the PDA!"

"Dinner's ready," Carlisle informed me, kissing me on the forehead and then the lips again. "I'll serve. You look pale. Are you all right, darling?" He was genuinely concerned, putting a hand on my forehead.

"I was just in a bad part of town. I had to talk to one of my students, Alice's older sister, because she was making Alice late to my class three times in a row, and I didn't want her to be late a fourth time, because then I'd have to lock her out. And I hate locking people out, except for criminals,"

"Did the sister agree not to make her late?"

"Nope. She wasn't even there. Alice was home by herself. I keep hoping that she was just out to get groceries and would've been back in ten minutes, but my gut tells me she's still out, and it's been an hour,"

"What about her parents?"

"They don't live there. Maybe they're incarcerated," I said, frowning. "But the point is, Alice is with an irresponsible guardian. I don't even know how old this girl is! Old enough to drive, that's for sure,"

"You don't know if she's irresponsible. Maybe she _was_ just getting something and then she came back to the house just after you left," Carlisle said, stroking my back soothingly.

"Well, I saw no car come back to their house as I was leaving the neighborhood,"

"That does make me worry a little. Should we go back to see if she's fine?"

"Alice will just push us away. She said she was okay without me there. I guess she's used to it,"

"Maybe she is, but I'm still worried,"

"I am too," I admitted. We sat down to eat and hoped for the best tomorrow.

Alice POV:

I heard no doors opening or closing until I got up at five in the morning. I got myself ready for the day and packed my bag. I was ready to go. But Cynthia wasn't. She was crashed on the couch, with no hope of ever waking up again. She was completely wiped out. I was going to be late again because of her! Damn it! And also, because of her not being here when Mrs. Cullen got here, I had an unwanted visitor in my home who I had to entertain for a few seconds until I finally snapped!

I shook Cynthia awake. "Wake up! You have to take me to school!"

"Shut the fuck up! I'm sleeping!" she said, her eyes barely open. She was foaming at the mouth, too.

"I need a ride!"

"Take the bus, goddamn it! Fuckin' whiny bitch, I'm tired!"

"It's too far! I have to cross train tracks!"

"Tough luck. Who gives a shit?" she mumbled sleepily, and then she was dead to the world. With a deep breath, I walked out of her bedroom and then out of my house. I began walking through my neighborhood, not looking down any alleys. I never knew what was lurking down there. I was terrified of the place I lived in. Scared stiff. Five minutes passed, and I was finally out. I crossed some streets, ran across the train tracks, the train missing me by a hair, and then, I was in the rich neighborhood. I was an hour away, and school started in thirty minutes. Not again! I was in deep shit this time. And it was all Cynthia's fault! I hated her! I almost died because of her! I was out of breath and shaking from almost being hit by a train. A car stopped in front of me. It was a fancy car, a silver Volvo. Bella got out of the passenger seat.

"Alice, do you need a ride to school?"

"I can do it," Part of me wanted to say yes, but the other part wanted to be brave and just face the consequences.

"You almost got hit by a train. You shouldn't be walking out here this much by yourself," Bella informed me. "Just let us take you,"

I huffed. "Fine, but don't feel sorry for me,"

"Can't you just thank us and get over it?" Edward asked.

"Thank you," I said quickly, but didn't really mean it. I mean, they were prying into my life! Ok, so they were just getting me out of trouble, but it made me look really childish!

"My sister's passed out drunk. She couldn't drive me anyway,"

"Well, what the hell is she doing drinking instead of taking care of you? And where are your parents in this picture?" Bella demanded.

"Dad got taken, Mom got shot, and I don't give a damn about anything,"

"Come on, Alice, don't talk like that. You _do_ give a damn, otherwise, you wouldn't go to school. Bella's dad is a cop, he can find you a home where they'll take good care of you,"

"Shut up, Edward. You don't know anything. I hate cops. They took my dad,"

"No, Alice, he's nice, he's the best policeman in Seattle. Please, let us help you with this,"

"No!" I said stubbornly. "Just take me to school and shut up. And it's only because I don't want to get in any more trouble," I opened the car door, threw my bag inside, and sat down. They played classical music on the way to school.

Well, at least I got a ride.

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	9. Choices

Rosalie POV:

After closing my eyes, I felt Royce and my father get on top of me, one at a time, and I heard their drunken laughter and my screams for help. My mom came in, Royce and my father got in bed with me and spooned me, and I felt her fist hit my eye.

"OW!" I shouted, blindly hitting my mom's arms. "That hurt really bad!"

"Get up. Out of that bed. Let's go. HURRY UP! You're sick, you know that, you filthy, nasty, pregnant whore? I should throw you out on the streets, but it's too much fun to beat you up!" She pulled me out of bed, and I had my hand over my black eye while crying. She grabbed my hair and smashed my head into my mirror. I cried out in pain, and she kicked my chest.

"Stop that crying, child! You're such a loser! You can't even keep your needs to yourself! Just because no one loves you doesn't mean you can just fuck my husband and my son! Goddamnit, you fuckin' worthless pig sin child! You're a bastard! You hear me? A fuckin' bastard! I HATE YOU! I DESPISE YOU! You should've never been born! I shoulda killed you! I shoulda smashed your ugly face in when I saw you! Bitch! Whore! Maggot! Fugly slut! You're filth! Absolute filth!" She threw insults at me right and left while slapping me in various places. She also gave me a split lip which I couldn't cover up.

"Stop hurting her, Mom! Come on, Rose, we have to get ready for school,"

"You asshole! Get the fuck out of here! I'm teaching your sister a lesson!" She threw a pile of my makeup supplies at him while he ducked and they all hit the wall with a crash.

"No, Irina. I will not get out of here. Laurent and Royce fuck your daughter, not the other way around. And I love my sister. She's loved by someone and she's also loved by Ashley, her daughter,"

"You seduced Royce at age seven? You're pathetic, a stupid snob! You think you're higher than everyone else? You're dead wrong. You deserve to die," she growled at me. "Make breakfast!"

My breathing was ragged as Jasper hugged me and rubbed soothing circles on my back. I got some sunglasses to cover my black eye so people wouldn't ask questions. I held a pack of ice over my eye until we got to school. It seemed to relieve the pain, but the blood was still there. There was a purple bruise beneath my eye, and I couldn't cover it up. It was too dark. I stopped crying when we got on the bus. It hurt too much.

Alice POV:

Mrs. Cullen looked shocked to see me get to school a few minutes early with Bella. "Well, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence! Thank you, Bella, for bringing her. I really didn't want to lock you out, Alice,"

"Really? Thanks," I said, giving her a sarcastic smile while sitting down. Jasper wasn't there yet. He arrived a few minutes later with Rosalie and they sat next to me.

"Alice! Your sister listened?" Emmett asked, guffawing.

"Shut up, Emmett. Bella drove me to school. My sister was wasted this morning and couldn't take me at all, so I walked until Bella and Edward found me,"

"Well, I'm glad you didn't get locked out," Jasper whispered to me, stroking my hand with his fingertips. I felt my cheeks warm up.

"Me neither," I replied.

"I would have been lost without you,"

"Get real," I snorted.

"No, believe me,"

My heart leapt for joy. I traced his scars on his arm with my pinkie finger. "What happened? Looks serious," There was a fresh welt peeking out from his shirt.

"Fuck, don't let Mrs. C notice that," he groaned, pulling his shirt up over it. "Just a little accident at home,"

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I just got into a fight with my dad,"

"Never do that again. I hate seeing you hurt,"

Emmett POV:

"I see you got a new choker," I was telling Rosalie. She had sunglasses over her eyes, but I could still tell she rolled them.

"What the fuck do you care?"

"Sorry for being pushy about it earlier. I really am sorry for calling you all those names. I thought we were playing a game," I apologized.

"So did I. But your words just hurt me. Why did you get so offended when I called you…you know,"

"No reason, I just hate that word. Good luck with the baby," I didn't want her to know my mother fucked me all the time. I wonder who knocked her up, though. I felt the urge to kill that bastard, whoever he may be. I don't know why, but I just did. She was beautiful, when I really looked at her. I could get lost in her blue eyes. I wanted to know all about her suddenly.

"Thanks," I could've sworn I saw her lips pull up into a slight smile, but I couldn't be positive.

The rest of the class filed in, and Mrs. Cullen started the lesson.

Jasper POV:

"Okay, guys! How did you like what you read?"

"It was romantic, I guess," Emily said, shrugging.

"Reminds me of me and Jacob," Lizzie giggled.

"Hey, Bella!" Jacob got her attention. "I'm really sorry about my outburst yesterday. Truly, I am,"

"What, did Mrs. C tell you to apologize to me?"

"Nah, I just felt like apologizing. Sometimes, I can't control my emotions,"

"It's okay. But next time, Mom will expel you,"

I yawned. "Stayed up till two in the morning reading it, bro,"

"Me too," Rosalie said, yawning right after I did. "Ow, my lip," It was bleeding, and it looked split.

"What happened to her?" Emmett asked. Yawning was contagious, because he let out a loud yawn just then. I started to tell him, but one death glare from my sister shut me up. I only shrugged.

"What is up with all the yawning? Why won't you listen? I am not that boring!" Mrs. Cullen sighed.

"Sorry, we're just tired! Can we take a break from reading today, and vocabulary?" Jasper asked.

"Do you wanna talk about this?" Mrs. C asked.

"On you, shit," Sam said.

"Whatever floats your boat, teach," Jacob added. "We don't have no choices in this room,"

"Well, if you all feel that strongly about it, leave the room,"

"What?" we asked.

"Hey, listen. Nobody's forcing you to be here. You have a choice. You can stay, or you can leave,"

"Lady, why are you playin' this game? We don't have a choice," Paul said, frowning.

"You don't have a choice? You don't have a choice on whether or not you're here?"

"No. If we leave, we don't get to graduate. If we stay, we gotta put up with you," Rachel explained.

"Well, that's a choice, isn't it? You have a choice. You either don't graduate or you have to put up with me. It may not be a choice you like, but it is a choice,"

"Man, you don't understand nothing. l mean, you don't come from where we live. You-You're not bussed here," Leah grumbled.

"Do you have a choice to get on that bus?"

"Man, you come and live in my neighborhood for one week and then you tell me if you got a choice," Rosalie lashed out at her.

"There are a lot of people who live in your neighborhood who choose not to get on that bus. What do they choose to do? They choose to go out and sell drugs. They choose to go out and kill people. They choose to do a lot of other things. But they choose not to get on that bus. The people who choose to get on that bus, which are you, are the people who are saying, "l will not carry myself down to die. When I go to my grave, my head will be high," That is a choice. There are no victims in this classroom!" We were just gaping at her while she spoke.

"Why do you care anyway? You just here for the money," Alice snapped when Mrs. C finished her speech.

"Because I make a choice to care. And, honey, the money ain't that good,"

"Whatever," Alice said, slumping in her seat.

"It's a cruel world out there. People will knock you down, but you have to learn to pick yourself up and stand up for what you believe in," Mrs. C added.

"We try! But we just get pushed down again!" Charlotte said.

"Yeah, and then the fighting is useless. We become worthless," Peter went on.

"You are not worthless. You are all special in your own way. Now, Rosalie, do you need to see the nurse? Your lip is bleeding. What happened? And why are you wearing sunglasses in class even after I told Emmett not to yesterday?"

"Just mind your business,"

"Get out your books, then. We're going to start,"

"We're tired!" Rosalie complained.

"What did you do, stay up all night? You know that's bad for you!"

"We didn't choose to," Rosalie continued arguing.

"You ever been beat?" I yelled without thought.

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	10. Line Game

Rosalie POV:

I was stunned by my brother's words.

"You ever been slapped around like a piece of shit? You don't fuckin' know what it's like!" I pulled him back into his seat.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I hissed, my eyes widening under my sunglasses. "Are you insane?"

"Jasper, I-" our clueless teacher started. Bitch was probably trying to apologize. "We're gonna play a game, all right? It's a lot of fun. I promise. Look, you can either sit in your seats

reading those workbooks, or you can play a game. Either way, you're in here till the bell rings. Okay. This is called the Line Game. I'm gonna ask you a question. If that question applies to you, you step onto the line, and then step back away for the next question. Easy, right?" She put a line of red tape down the middle of the room.

"Yeah, whatever," Charlotte muttered.

"The first question, how many of you have the new Snoop Dogg album?"

A lot of the kids stepped up, but not Jasper and I. We couldn't do anything fun.

"Did you steal it?" someone asked Alice.

"Okay, back away. Next question, how many of you have seen Boyz n the Hood?"

Lots of people stepped up.

"Okay. Next question. How many of you live in the projects?"

Everyone walked to the line.

"How many of you know someone, a friend or relative, who was or is in juvenile hall or jail?"

That was another common one.

"How many of you have been in juvenile hall or jail for any length of time?"

Just a few of the LaPush people stepped up.

"Detention don't count," Jacob said.

"Does a refugee camp count?" Emily asked.

"You decide. How many of you know where to get drugs right now?"

Some of us did. I didn't.

"How many of you know someone in a gang?"

Another popular one.

"How many of you are gang members?"

"Nice try," Sam said.

"Okay, that was a stupid question, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. You're not allowed gang affiliations in school," Leah said.

"I apologize for asking. My badness. Okay, now I'm gonna ask you a more serious question.

Stand on the line if you've lost a friend to gang violence,"

Almost everyone stood on the line, except Jasper and I. We weren't allowed to have friends.

"Stay on the line if you've lost more than one friend,"

Some people stayed.

"Three,"

A few people remained on the line.

"Four or more,"

Maggie, Garrett, and Kate were left.

"Okay, I'd like us to pay respect to those people now. Wherever you are, just speak their name,"

"Tanya," Kate whispered. "Kachiri, Senna, and Zafrina,"

"Mary and Randall," Garrett added.

"My parents," Maggie went on.

"Does my mom being shot by a drive by bullet count?" Alice asked.

"Yes,"

Alice walked to the line.

"Thank you all very much. Now, I have something for each of you. Everyone has their own story, and it's important for you to tell your own story, even to yourself. So, what we're going to do is we're gonna write every day in these journals," Mrs. Cullen held up a bunch of journals. "You can write about whatever you want, the past, the present, the future. You can write it like a diary, or you can write songs, poems, any good thing, bad thing, anything. But you have to write every day. Keep a pen nearby. Whenever you feel the inspiration. And they won't be graded. How can I give an A or a B for writing the truth, right? And I will not read them unless you give me permission. I will need to see that you've made an entry, but I'll just do this, skim to see that you wrote that day. Now, if you want me to read it, I have…" she walked over to a cabinet in the back of the room. "Excuse me. A cabinet over here. It has a lock on it. I will keep it open during class, and you can leave your diary there if you want me to read it. I will lock this cabinet at the end of every class. Okay? So, you can each come up,

one by one, and take your own journal. Whenever you're ready,"

This is exactly what I didn't want to do, but I forced myself to do it anyway. Jasper squeezed my hand soothingly and I managed a smile. I wrote my story on the bus and hid it from our parents.

"Hey, Rosalie," Emmett got my attention. "You gonna show her or what?"

"I don't know. Are you?"

"Well, she sorta deserves to know. Seems like she cares about us,"

"She won't when she reads what I've gone though," I said, biting my lip but immediately regretting it. I'd split my own lip again.

"You angry a lot?"

"Yeah,"

"How do you deal with it? I just use a punching bag, in the gym. Wanna come with me, let our anger out?"

"Sure,"

"Hey, we'll join you," Jasper said as he held hands with Alice.

The four of us punched the hell out of that bag, but I stopped when Emmett asked, "How 'bout you punch me?"

"What?" I wasn't sure if I'd heard him correctly.

"I know you want to,"

"But I'm not mad at you,"

"Pretend I'm someone you're mad at all the time,"

"Here I go," I sighed. With all my might, I punched his shoulders, chest, stomach, and then felt the tears coming. I was whispering my parents' and Royce's names. He must have felt me shaking, because he pulled me into a hug. Surprisingly, I didn't move away. I just stayed in his arms, crying my heart out as he stroked my hair. We sat there for hours.

Esme POV:

All my students handed their journals in to me. I had a lot of stuff to read in the cabinet, and then, I would tell them my story. They deserved to know.

"Rosalie holds back, but I know she wants to be involved. She's so stubborn. Who really surprised me was Vera, who never says a word, but she was the first to step up and take a journal. I…" I was telling Carlisle as I ate standing up.

"Honey, here. Here, sit down,"

"It's all right. No, it's all right,"

"I'll move this,"

"I don't mind standing. Food goes straight down,"

"I just want to hang out. I want to be home. And I want to be with my schoolteacher. I've always had this fantasy about being kept late after school," Carlisle said, winding his arms around my waist and leaning down to kiss my cheek and then my neck. I started giggling.

"Well, I'm sorry I left my dirty erasers at work,"

"Do all the other teachers put in this much extra effort?"

"I don't know. I'm kind of making it up as I go along. And the other teachers don't really

talk to me. I mean, Renee…"

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. You're so selfless. I wouldn't be surprised if you were their favorite teacher,"

"I don't think I am. They hate me,"

"Maybe they're scared to open up,"

"Oh, that reminds me. They all gave me their journals with their stories. And then I'll tell mine when I know theirs,"

"You sure?"

"Positive. They think I don't know how they feel. But I do know. I've lived through it,"

"I know, baby,"


	11. Journals

Esme POV:

We both sat on our bed and I pulled out the first journal, Vera's. I decided to read it out loud to Carlisle and to myself. He could help the kids too.

"In every war, there is an enemy. I watched my mother being half beaten to death and watched as blood and tears streamed down her face. I felt useless and scared and furious at the same time. Oh, god. That poor woman, that poor girl! Imagine if I had a child with Charles, they would have to go through the same thing Vera did," I was starting to cry. So, I handed Carlisle the next one, Jasper's.

"I can still feel the sting of the belt on my back and my legs. I can smell the alcohol on their breaths. My father and my brother Royce whip me all the time for helping my sister. When I came home from a Little League baseball game at age seven, I saw her sprawled out on her bed, naked, bloody, and crying. I watch her get kicked around every single day. I feel guilty that I can't ever stop those monsters. My parents don't let us do anything, even homework. We're all alone in this world, trapped, helpless,"

"Read Rosalie's," I said bravely. I had to know the reason behind her rudeness.

"When you're seven, you're innocent. When you're seven, you played with dolls and called your friends for sleepovers. You wear pink dresses and imagine to find your Prince Charming because you feel like Cinderella. When I was seven, I experienced pain in my private area. My then eighteen year old brother, Royce said he wanted to play a game. I had no idea what he did or why he did it. I just knew that it hurt like hell. When I was eight, my belly got big. I thought I was getting fat. My mom beat me and said I seduced my brother. I didn't know what that word meant. She said I was pregnant. I was having a baby in the third grade. I named her Ashley. She's got cerebral palsy and needs a wheelchair. When I was in sixth grade, I learned what rape meant. I knew then that I was raped at a young age. This past spring, my father played the same game with me. It hurt, like fire. My mom said I stole my dad and she gave me a bad beating. I'm gonna have a baby again, any day now. My birthday is tomorrow and no one cares but Jasper and Ashley. The reason I was up all night was because my parents don't let me do my homework. They think it's trash. They ripped up my Romeo and Juliet book like animals. They have me make meals and clean up for them all the time. They beat me up. Royce tosses me around like a rag doll. My dad and Royce spoon me in bed all the time. And I was wearing sunglasses because my mother punched me in the face and then in the eye and she gave me a split lip. My choker covers the bruises that ring around my neck from years of my father and Royce gripping me around the neck and pushing me up against the wall. I feel dirty and used. One of these days, I will die. And I want it to be soon, to end this torture that I go through each day,"

I hugged my knees to my chest and put my hand over my mouth while I cried. Carlisle's voice was cracking as he read. This was hard for him, too. I felt nauseous at what she had to go through.

"Oh, God," I whimpered. "Let's just read this to ourselves," I picked up Alice's journal.

Y_ou know that song, Runaway Love? The song by Mary J. Blige and Ludicris? That first part, about Lisa? If you haven't heard it, then listen-cuz it's good. At age nine, I was ready to go to fourth grade. Instead, my father was taken for not paying his bills on time. My mom was killed in a drive-by. Only my then-sixteen year old sister was with me. She became my legal guardian. The first time she went out, she came home drunk. Some guy came into my bedroom and hurt me. I discovered I'd been raped, when I found out what it meant when I was in sixth grade. She brings home men different hours of the night and comes home wasted. It's happened since I was nine. Cynthia barely knows I'm alive. We rarely speak, and I've only seen her in club gear or her pajamas. She makes me do everything-it's like I'm living on my own. Sometimes, I can't do it all. I've had nervous breakdowns, and there was no one there to hug me and tell me everything was all right. Cynthia doesn't hurt me, she just ignores me. She throws house parties sometimes, and I'm up all night, because it's so loud in my house. When she brings home the men, they rape me for two hours, and that's why I'm so tired all the time. She says it's a sin to cry when she sees tears falling down my cheeks. I just want to be loved._

"I knew it," I sobbed into Carlisle's chest. "Okay, Emmett's next,"

_A mother's love is supposed to be nice. At age twelve, I was raped by my mom. She said she loved me, but it was incestuous. My father blamed me for it and beats me all the time. Everyone calls me a motherfucker, but it's the other way around. I hate them both. He gave me a black eye and she only loves me because she says my dick is huge and I'm sexy. I feel dirty when her drunken body lays on top of me and she starts moaning with pleasure. My dad tells me I'm stealing my mom from him. The truth is my mom's cheating on him with her son._

No wonder Emmett yelled at me when I touched him! Oh, God. I felt sick for the second time tonight. I was angry at Cynthia, and disgusted by Rosalie, Jasper, and Emmett's parents. And I could totally relate to Vera's, because her mom went through the same thing I did! Jacob didn't write much. I could read this out loud.

"One time, he couldn't pay the rent. And that night he stopped us on the street and pointed to the concrete. He said, "Pick a spot. "

"Poor guy," Carlisle said.

"Yeah, no wonder he's so frustrated," I responded. I picked up the next one. It was Sam's.

"Randy was my boy. He had my back plenty of times. We was like one fist, me and him,

one army. One day, I accidentally shot him. I sat there till the police came. But when they come, all they see is a dead body, a gun and a native. They took me to juvenile hall. First night was the scariest. Inmates banging on the walls, throwing up their gang signs, yelling out who they were, where they're from. I cried my first night. Can't never let nobody know that. I spent the next few years in and out of cells. Every day I'd worry, "When will I be free?"

"My brother taught me what the life is for a young Latino man. Do what you have to, pimp, deal, whatever. Learn what colors to learn, gang boundaries. You can stay on one corner, you can't stay on another. Learn to be quiet. A wrong word can get you popped," That was Ben's. Next, I read his girlfriend's, Angela's.

"If you look in my eyes, you'll see a loving girl. If you look at my smile, you'll see nothing wrong. If you pull up my shirt, you'll see the bruises. What did I do to make him so mad? I thought I loved him. Ben treats me like a woman, and I love him,"

"She's like me," I whispered. I picked up another journal, Embry's. "At 16, I've seen more dead bodies than a mortician. Every time I step out my door, I'm faced with the risk of being shot. To the outside world, it's just another dead body on the street corner. They don't know that he was my friend,"

Next, I read Leah's.

"During the war in Cambodia, the camp stripped away my father's dignity. He sometimes tries to hurt my mom, my brother, and me. I feel like I have to protect my family,"

"I was having trouble deciding what candy I wanted, then I heard gunshots. I looked down to see that one of my friends had blood coming out of his back and his mouth. The next day, I pulled up my shirt and got strapped with a gun I found in an alley by my house. I don't even know how this war started. It's just two sides who tripped each other way back. Who cares about the history behind it?"

That was Seth's journal.

"I am my father's daughter. And when they call me to testify, I will protect my own no matter what. Nobody cares what I do. Why should I bother coming to school?" Poor Emily.

"My friends are soldiers, not of war, but of the streets. They fight for their lives," Peter.

"I hate the cold feeling of a gun against my skin. It makes me shiver. It's a crazy-ass life," Charlotte.

"Once you're in, there's no getting out. Every time I jump somebody in and make someone a part of our gang, it's another baptism. They give us their life, we give them a new one," Paul.

"I've lost many friends who have died in an undeclared war. To the soldiers and me, it's all worth it. Risk your life dodging bullets, pulling triggers. It's all worth it," Kate.

I read the rest of the journals and couldn't stop my tears. We just slept in our clothes, snuggled into each other, and thought of ways to help these kids.

**Read and review, please! Your choice-what do you want to happen next-Esme stops someone from raping Rosalie in an alley or Rosalie has the baby or Esme yells at Cynthia or they all dance on tables and learn to slow dance for homecoming? One thing is for sure, though-Esme will be picking up Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett for school the next morning with her husband!**


	12. Save Me

Rosalie POV:

Giving Mrs. C that story of mine was like letting a brick off my chest. It was such a brave thing for me to do. I'd spilled my deepest, darkest, and most humiliating secrets to her, and I hoped she now understood me. Emmett rode the bus with me to get my daughter, because I couldn't be alone at this moment, I just couldn't. I realized I needed him too, not just my brother. On the way, I decided to tell him my story if he promised to tell me his. I just gave him the basics, because saying it was more emotional than writing it. I knew I'd cry in the middle of my explanation, and I didn't want to appear weak in front of him.

"My brother, Royce raped me when I was seven and my dad raped me this past spring. My mom beats me up all the time for 'stealing my dad'. I'm wearing a choker because I have bruises around my neck from them gripping me by my neck and pushing me up against the wall all these years. I have a four year old daughter by Royce, her name is Ashley, that's who we're getting now. She's not my sister," I said it quickly to stop my tears that were threatening to come out.

"Oh my God," Emmett whispered to himself. "Who would do that to you? That's sick! THAT'S SICK!" he roared. "If I see 'em, I'll kill 'em!" He wrapped me in a hug and we rocked back and forth.

"Well, my mom molests me all the time, and my dad beats me for it,"

"Ew! Oh, God! Is she crazy?" I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

"Yeah, I just wanna get outta there,"

"I wish I could run away too. But where would we go?"

He started to answer, but Tia came up to us, wheeling Ashley in her chair. I opened my arms and Ashley hugged me.

"Happy happy hi hi!" she said, and giggled.

"Hey, kid," Emmett chuckled and ruffled her hair. Thank God he liked her, although she was an inbred.

"Who are you?"

"The name's Emmett. Rose and I are best friends…for now," he said, throwing me a wink while shaking my daughter's hand. My heart got excited.

He walked me back to my house, because his shabby apartment was just a few doors down from mine. I didn't notice we were hand in hand until I felt his thumb rubbing circles on the side of my thumb. That's when I felt something down there. Our fingers were intertwined, too. He was so sneaky! I looked down at our joined hands, and so did he. Our non-busy hands were pushing the wheelchair.

"I'm sor-," he started to say.

"No, it's fine," I laughed, swinging our hands between us. "Best friends hold hands sometimes…right?"

"Yeah," he shrugged with a smile tugging at his lips. "Well, here we are…your house," he said sadly.

He stared into my eyes for a second, but then saw something behind me and tensed, clenching his fists and growling.

"What is it?"

"Fuckin' asshole," he muttered. I turned around, and my eyes widened.

"Emmett, don't, he's not-"

I heard them before I finished my sentence.

"I'mma beat your ass!" he yelled.

"I'd like to see you try, motherfucker!" Royce shouted, throwing a punch at his face, which Emmett avoided. He kicked Royce in the balls and then stepped on his face until the screams died down. Then, he ran over to me and said, "He's knocked out. It'll be awhile before he regains consciousness. Still, he's gotta go to the hospital. I guess I'll see you tomorrow," He clicked his tongue and gave me a head nod.

"Thanks! Bye!" I said, waving. He waved back.

"Mommy?" Ashley was saying, tugging at my shirt sleeve. "Did you hear me?"

I couldn't hear anything. My mind was only on Emmett.

I'd never had this feeling before.

My knees were weak, my head was spinning, and I think I swooned right then.

Jasper POV:

I hoped Mrs. C would find some way to help us through our struggles, because we needed all the assisting we could get! I fell asleep about ten, but was woken up by a phone call. The name 'Alice' flashed on my cell phone.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hi, Jasper. I'm sorry if I woke you up. I sorta woke myself up too,"

"It's fine. Are you okay?"

"Yeah-actually, I'm not,"

"What's wrong?"

"I need to tell you my story, because I know yours,"

"You don't have to if you don't want to,"

"No, I do, I really and truly do. You ready to hear it?"

"Yeah,"

"Okay," She took a breath, but it sounded ragged. "When I was nine, my dad was taken and my mom was shot by a drive by bullet. Only my then-sixteen year old sister was with me. She became my legal guardian. The first time she went out, she came home drunk. Some guy came into my bedroom and raped me. This has been going on since I was nine. Cynthia barely knows I'm alive. She makes me do everything-it's like I'm living on my own. Sometimes, I can't do it all. I've had nervous breakdowns, and there was no one there to hug me and tell me everything was all right. And I hate being called Mary because the men always say, 'Come here, Little Miss Mary!' before they rape me," She couldn't finish, because her voice was cracking, and finally, she started crying. I felt horrified at what she had to go through. I was sure Cynthia wasn't there at this very moment.

"I'm so sorry, Alice. I wish I was there to hold you,"

"Me too, Jasper,"

"Love you,"

"Love you too. Sweet dreams," She sniffled into the phone, and the sound broke my heart.

"Thanks. You too. See you tomorrow,"

"See ya,"

"Bye,"

"Bye,"

God, I really did love her, and not just as a best girl friend.

**Read and review, please!**


	13. Rebelling

Alice POV:

After pouring out my thoughts on paper, I felt so much better. I wanted to scream out loud and punch Cynthia in the face. I was worried, though, that when Mrs. Cullen read what I'd been going through, she'd think I was stupid for not standing up for myself. I stood up for myself sometimes, but I had had it with her reckless behavior! The smell of smoke wafted through the living room as she sat on the couch, watching TV, in a long white t-shirt and gray sweats, smoking her lungs black. I coughed and fanned my nose. "Oh, God, Cynthia, please, put that out," I groaned. "It's killing me, secondhand smoke, you know?"

"Then go in another room, kid,"

"No. I need to talk to you. Now, put that stupid thing out!" My voice was becoming louder.

"_Excuse_ me? Are you my mother?"

"Are you mine?" I shot back as she walked towards me slowly. But I wouldn't back down.

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to?" she snarled. I couldn't help but notice that she had yellow teeth and a black tongue. "I'm your older sister. Mom is dead. Dad's in jail. I am in charge of you. They put me legally in charge of you! Do not even_ think_ about telling me what to do,"

I ignored her and folded my arms across my chest. I wasn't backing down. "Look, we can make this easy or hard. But one thing I know is that you are neglecting me. It's like I'm living by myself! I'm only twelve! I need someone to love me and take care of me! You just ignore me like I don't even exist!" I slapped the cigarette away from her hand and smashed it to the ground with my shoe-covered foot.

"I can't help that we're orphans. I can't help that they made me take care of you. I have a life, you know! I'm an adult, nineteen, and I want to live my own life without some snotty little girl in the way! At least we have a roof over our heads! At least you get food! At least I don't hit you, you ungrateful brat!" She tried to push past me, but I stood my ground. I jerked her back towards me.

"Look at you! You're disgusting! You're wasting your life away! Getting drunk, staying up all night at stupid parties, smoking till your lungs turn black…you're gonna die young! Now, do your job and make me dinner! NOW!" I pointed to the kitchen furiously.

"You don't get to talk to me like that! Do not talk to me like that!"

"You're supposed to take care of me! You're supposed to…" My voice cracked. "…love me,"

"Oh, grow up, baby. Quit that useless crying. Tears get you nowhere. I'm really sick of you. Clean up the mess you made and get me another cigar. Hurry up, Caius is taking me motorcycle riding. He'll be here in five minutes,"

"You don't love me?" I looked up at her with tears pooling in my eyes.

"Yeah, you're my sister, but I'm tired of taking care of you,"

"You've _never_ taken care of me,"

She shrugged. "Whatever. I've been busy. They left when I was sixteen. You'll understand when you turn sixteen! Once you're sixteen, your life really starts, until you turn about sixty. You think about dying. But now, I just wanna live, and you're bothering me. I need to get changed. That cigar better be ready by the time I come down,"

With that, she turned on her heel and left the room.

But I did one thing I'd never done in my life.

I rebelled.

I still ran the match across the black line on the matchbox, burning my fingers a little in the process, and lit the cigar, but I never cleaned up the mess. I would never clean anything in this house again until Cynthia got my message loud and clear.

She snatched the cigarette from my hands while she walked out the door. The door banged shut, and she was gone. I had the house all to myself-no surprise there. But I had a bad feeling as I went to bed that night.

Emmett POV:

I was glad I shared my story with Mrs. C and Rosalie. But I couldn't believe what Rosalie went through! It was almost the same story as mine, but more disgusting! I mean, being raped as a seven year old, that's just wrong! It's twisted! I almost threw up in my mouth after hearing what she confessed to me. I'm glad I saw at least one of her tormentors. It felt good kicking Royce's ass! He'd be in pain for days, I hoped. I walked into my house and did some homework. When my mom came in my room with her bra and underpants on, I said, "No more. I am not doing this. I'm done with this!"

"Emmett, please! Don't you love me?"

"NO! YOU'RE A REVOLTING WOMAN, YOU KNOW THAT?" I screamed at her. "You're half my size and you still think you have power over me? You need help, Mom! Mental help! I'm serious! If you try to do that again, I'm calling the cops!"

"Baby-"

"No! No more affectionate names out of your fuckin' mouth. You gave birth to me. Did you fuck me when I was born? HUH?"

"Emmett, you've gone crazy, honey! I just like to play around,"

"That kind of play is not good! It's illegal! I'm your son! It's incest!"

My mom looked heartbroken. It would've been sad if she wasn't actually molesting me, but she was. She was trying to feel me up, but I pushed her arms down by her sides and backed her up into the wall.

"You are a _whore_. Do you know that?"

"I am not a whore!" She punched me in the stomach, but I threw her fist off me before it even hit me. I hated hitting women, but…

_SLAP!_

"OW!" she cried.

_SLAP! SLAP!_

"You deserve every bit of this, you bitch!" I jammed my fist into her jaw and she was down. Then, I called the police and said Dad hit her and she molested me. Killing two birds with one stone. Perfect.

Except that a fifteen year old couldn't stay home alone forever.

**Read and review, please! I need these reviews to help me go on!**


	14. Wonder Woman

**You are going to love Esme in this chapter!**

Esme POV:

I got up at 5am to make a birthday cake for Rosalie and Jasper. The smell of the chocolate cake woke Carlisle, and I heard him coming down the stairs. I was just putting the icing on top and writing, 'Happy 13th Birthday, Rosalie and Jasper!', when he kissed me on the cheek.

"You're such a good cook, honey,"

"Thanks, babe. I'm bringing it to school today, it's Rosalie and Jasper's birthday today. Do you want to come and meet the students? You'll love them, they're great,"

"Yeah, I'm happy taking a day off to see my sexy wife be all educational," He kissed down to my neck, and I started giggling. I put the cake in a pink box and gathered 26 candles and a match. I put them into a plastic bag and put everything in my bag.

"Come on, then. We're getting Rosalie and Jasper first. I'm going to give that mother of theirs a piece of my mind,"

We walked out to the car and I let my GPS lead me to their house. I got out with mace in my pocket, in case anyone was going to give me trouble. I saw a blonde woman who was bigger than me sitting outside, smoking a cigarette. She looked like a Russian wrestler, and I was glad I'd brought my mace. I caught her when she was distracted.

"You like hurting little girls? Huh? You like makin' 'em cry? Hitting them to oblivion, till they bleed?" I yelled, making her head jerk up in surprise. "You bitch!" I smacked her right across the face when she started to get up. She was so out of it from drinking and smoking that she fell down to the ground. I didn't realize I was that strong!

"She fucked my husband!" the woman shouted.

I saw Rosalie and Jasper come to the window to see what the noise was all about.

"He raped her! Your husband and your son Royce are both pedophiles! What the hell were you doing when Royce raped Rosalie at age seven? A little girl! And then her father raped her at age twelve! Not even a teenager yet! You let Jasper get beat up by them all the time and you beat your daughter for being pregnant because of rape? How could you? HOW COULD YOU?" I screamed in her face. When she tried to punch me in the face, I sprayed the mace in her eyes and she collapsed again.

"Who is that?" a man's voice boomed. Rosalie's dad came out the front door with a gun in his hand. I sprayed him with mace right before he could shoot me.

I looked for the kids and waited for them to come out, but I heard screaming in some alley. I ran to check it out, and saw a grown man pressing Rosalie against the wall, and Jasper trying to stop them.

"You let go of her!" I demanded. "RIGHT NOW!"

"Please stop, Royce!" Rosalie sobbed. He kept trying to kiss her. I ran up to Jasper and helped him pull Royce off Rosalie. I sprayed the Royce's eyes with mace.

"You're a pedophile, you know that?" I said in a disgusted voice while kicking his head when he was on the ground. I took both Rosalie and Jasper's hands and we ran to the car, breathing sighs of relief. I ushered them in, and I was the last one in. I slammed the door and we were off!

Next, we were picking up Alice.

Alice POV:

That guy that Cynthia brought back home at five in the morning, Caius, came in my room with a camera and a gun. Fear filled me, because I had no idea what he'd do to me.

"Come here, Little Miss Mary," he cooed as if I was a child. I felt the front of the gun on the side of my head and gulped.

"Strip!" he commanded, cocking the gun. I shuddered.

I was shaking with terror. "Um, o-okay, here, just let me-" I squeaked out.

"NOW!" he barked.

I bit my lip and started taking my shirt off while crying. "P-please don't hurt me," I whispered through my tears.

When I was undressed, he took pictures and sighed with satisfaction. "You will make me a rich man, little Mary. Then, your sister and I can live like celebrities!"

I kept sobbing as he talked to me. It made my skin crawl. He licked his lips. "Mmmmm! You look so tasty," He cupped my breast in his hand and then held the camera above us. Then, he took many pictures of my vagina and his tongue. I was going to kill Cynthia when he was done with me.

Esme POV:

I knocked on the door, hoping her sister was home. I needed to have a word with this bitch, too. Cynthia drunkenly opened the door. "What? I was sleeping! Who the hell are you?"

"It's time to take your daughter to school,"

"She's busy,"

"Where is she?"

Cynthia shrugged. I almost strangled her.

"Alice," I called throughout the house. I looked everywhere downstairs, and then went upstairs where I heard crying. I opened every door, until I found her, naked, and under a grown man. I pulled out my mace.

"HEY! You get off her!" I scolded him furiously. Alice's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

The man faced me and cocked his gun. I sprayed the mace into his eyes, and he dropped his gun. I picked it up and held it to his face. "I'll shoot you," I got the camera that he'd also dropped, and began hitting him over the head with it.

I looked over at Alice's terrified face. It hurt me to see her cry. "Get dressed, sweetie," She started getting ready for school.

"I'll shoot you, you pervert!" I hollered at the man.

"Give me my gun, you bitch!"

"Hell no," I said slyly.

_BANG! BANG!_

It went through his head, and I shot him in the chest this time. He was fully dead. I heard Cynthia running upstairs. She ran to the man and gasped in horror.

"Caius! Oh my God! You're bleeding, honey!" Then, she looked over at me and glared. "YOU!" She pointed at me. "You shot him!"

"He was taking naked pictures of Alice and was gonna post them in magazines and newspapers! He was forcing her to strip or he'd shoot her! This shit's been happening for three years! You have done nothing about her getting raped! She needs love!"

"Who needs her anyway? She's always in my way! Spoiled rotten bitch! Get out of my house!" was her vulgar reply.

"Go fuck yourself," was all I said as I pulled Alice with me downstairs and then into the car. She hugged me around my waist and cried into my shirt.

"You cry, baby. You just cry," I murmured, combing my fingers through her hair.

"Thanks, Mrs. Cullen," Rosalie said gladly, for the first time. "You're so cool!"

I kissed her forehead, and then Alice's. I ruffled Jasper's hair, and all three of them smiled up at me.

"Can I hold Alice, Mrs. Cullen?" Jasper asked.

"Of course," I allowed, and Alice got in the back with Rosalie and Jasper. "Kids, this is my husband, Carlisle. He's a doctor, and he's gonna visit class today,"

"Hey, Dr. Cullen," they said at the same time. We both chuckled lightly.

"Just call me Carlisle," he said as he kissed my lips. "You are the best mother in the world,"

"Thanks, baby, and you're an excellent father,"

"My strength makes Edward stronger, and we think you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world,"

I laughed. "You're singing Taylor Swift's Best Day, you know,"

"You started it," he teased, poking my side, and I giggled.

I looked back for a second, and saw Alice curled up into Jasper's chest, and Rosalie leaning on his shoulder. All of their eyes were closed. They were so beautiful even when abused. I wanted to cry. They had been through so much, but survived it all. I couldn't wait until school to tell them my story. I was just like them.

Emmett POV:

The police knocked on my door and I ran up to it. I let the officers in and showed them my mom. They looked around for my dad, but we couldn't find them. They put two and two together, and…oh, shit!

"Your father isn't here, and you just got yourself arrested, boy! Good job!" one of them congratulated me sarcastically.

"I was defending myself!" I protested.

They sent my mom to a hospital and locked handcuffs around my wrists. I was literally thrown into a cell.

"I'm 15, not 18! This is an adult jail! Please!"

The door slammed shut, and I was trapped for the night. I just slept on the hard bed next to this guy who said he was in jail because he raped someone. The cell was cold and dark, and I hated it. I was scared of this place. It was so uncomfortable that I woke up at five in the morning and called Rosalie.

"Hello, I'm in the Forks County Jail," I said nervously.

"Oh god…here's Mrs. Cullen,"

"Hello?" I heard Mrs. C answer.

"Mrs. C, it's me, Emmett. I called the cops on my parents and they took me to jail for defending myself against my mom!"

"We're coming! Don't worry!"

Esme POV:

I quickly explained to everyone what was going on. I switched the direction I was going, and headed to the county jail. This was so unfair to Emmett. How could they do that to him? I was bailing him out, and Carlisle and I put our money together. We pulled up in front of the building, and I put the money in my pocket.

"Watch the kids," I instructed my husband.

"Of course," he said, giving my butt a little slap. I squealed and ran away. I swear, I heard the kids laughing from the car.

"I'm bailing my…" I wanted to call him my son, but he wasn't my son just yet. "uh, my friend's son out of jail, here," I stuffed the money into the person's hand, and he had me follow him to Emmett's cell.

"All right, kid, you're outta here. Stay outta trouble, you hear? No more beating Mom," he said with a lighthearted chuckle.

"She molested him for three years straight," I argued silently. "Come on, Emmett,"

He followed me out of the building and we shared a hug. He was hesitant at first, but I patted his back to let him know I wasn't going to do anything bad to him.

"Thanks, Mrs. C. I really appreciate it,"

"You're very welcome. Your friends are waiting in the car. I'm taking you four to school,"

"Awesome!" he cheered, getting in next to Rosalie. They were squished, so Alice had to sit on Jasper's lap, since she was so tiny. The seatbelt stretched over the both of them. This time, Rosalie snuggled up to Emmett and Alice slept on Jasper. We played music quietly while they slept and we drove to school. We'd wake them up when we got there.

Only an hour before I would tell my story…

**Read and review, please! Isn't Esme the greatest woman in the world? I think so!**


	15. Class Party

Rosalie POV:

I couldn't believe Mrs. Cullen did that for us! We were all so relieved! But I realized something.

"Uh…Mrs. Cullen?"

"Yes, Rosalie?"

"I know we're almost there…but we forgot my daughter. She's at my house. They don't hurt her, they just ignore her, and I was supposed to take her to daycare…" I trailed off nervously.

"Let me just call Renee…she can call her husband to take her there. He's a cop from Seattle, and he'll arrest the right people,"

"Oh, good! Thanks!"

"You're so warmhearted, love," Carlisle said, patting his wife's hand. I wasn't sure if I could call her Esme just yet. We were slowly becoming friends. I knew I had to be polite to her now, I mean, she just saved me from being raped! And she yelled at my mom and slapped her! That was genius!

"Hi, Renee, it's Esme…well, can you call your husband and tell him to come to 75th Avenue in Forks, it's house number 8, and there is a little girl, wheelchair bound, four years old that he needs to take to daycare and then return to Rosalie…and also, arrest the parents and the grown man inside…thank you very much! Bye! See you soon,"

We pulled up in front of the school and I nudged Emmett to wake him up. He mumbled adorably and then rubbed his eyes open. Our yawns woke up Alice and Jasper. Alice looked around in astonishment. She took in the scene and smiled.

"So this was real? Mrs. Cullen actually came in my house and killed the man who was raping me? And she yelled at Cynthia?"

"That's right, honey!" Mrs. Cullen replied. "Ok, come on, kids, let's go,"

"I wish I killed him instead!" Jasper stated angrily.

"It's okay, you were sleeping in the car," Alice said and laughed lightly.

Emmett and I walked to the school hand in hand and so did Jasper and Alice. We followed Esme and Carlisle to our class, and we were right on time! The rest of the students were talking to each other, and everyone's heads turned to face us when we entered the classroom. We sat down quietly, waiting for Mrs. Cullen to start the lesson for today. What surprised us was that she brought an iPod and its dock and a cake out of her bag. She sort of hid the cake, too. Carlisle sat in a chair next to her.

"Okay, guys, first of all, this is my husband, Carlisle, he's our special guest,"

"Hi, Carlisle," the class chorused.

"Hey, kids. Only call me Dr. Cullen when I'm operating on you,"

"What? A doctor?" Jacob murmured.

"Ain't had no doctor before," Sam said.

"We're too poor!" Leah shouted.

"No, no…because you're in my wife's class, you get it for free," he announced. Everyone cheered, and Mrs. Cullen laughed.

"Ok, dear, stop stealing the show," she said with a giggle as he kissed her cheek.

Alice POV:

It looked like it would be a fun day in class today. Guilt washed over me as I thought of how I'd been rude to Mrs. Cullen this past week. She was so kindhearted, and what she did for me was so surreal. It all happened so fast, I mean, I was naked and under Caius one minute, and the next minute, she's telling me to get dressed, and she kills my rapist! I felt like screaming for joy.

"All right, thank you for sharing your stories with me. I was very sad when I learned what you all went through. And now, I have a story of my own to share with you. Before I met my darling husband, my parents forced me to marry at a young age. I did not love this man, Charles Evenson, but I had to marry him anyway,"

I could tell where this was going. Jasper put his hand over mine and squeezed my hand.

"He didn't look at me with kindness-he just stared at me hungrily, making me feel bad and creeped out…uncomfortable. The night we married, he told me to take my clothes off. When I said I was tired, he took them off for me. He said, 'Don't worry. I'll be gentle,'"

Mrs. Cullen paused and took a deep breath before continuing. A low "Oh God," from Rosalie was heard from next to me. Emmett took her hand in a comforting gesture.

"He lied,"

"That bastard!" we shouted.

"He took my innocence-something I was saving for the right guy. I hugged my knees to my chest and he said, 'Let me see that sexy body you got! I just wanna dive right in!'"

Some students shook their heads in disgust.

"Without warning, he grabbed my arms, opened my legs wide, and tied my wrists together with his tie. It hurt. Then, he told me to give him head. I had no idea how to do that or what that meant. He forced me down to my knees and stuffed his cock into my mouth. He thrust and I almost threw up. I cried the whole night. It got worse. He'd beat me senseless for small things at first. Later, he beat me just because I was there and a fun plaything he liked to fuck! He threw insults at me all the time-worthless, slut, whore, bitch-he said crying was for wimps. He made me look down at my feet. My self esteem dropped completely," She shook her head and bit her lip, I suppose, to stifle a sob. Then, she recovered herself when Emily raised her hand.

"Yes, Emily?"

"How did you get out?"

"Well this summer, I'd had enough. I had a miscarriage and decided to run one night when he went to a bar. I just called the police and he's behind bars now. So, I know what it's like to get beaten and raped for years. To be so scared of even breathing…so you see, when you said before that I didn't understand you, well, I'll admit it, it hurt me. Some of your stories brought back painful memories-I'm not going to name any names, but even if I'd never gone through that, I'd still feel bad for you guys,"

"Where's the happily ever after with Carlisle?" Rosalie asked.

"When I met Carlisle this summer, I felt loved for the first time. We adopted Edward, so we were parents. We married just before school started, but it took me months for me to believe he wasn't like Charles, not a single bit. He's really raised my self-esteem by calling me his beautiful angel, and he's gentle with me," By now, she was sitting in Carlisle's lap and they were staring sweetly in each other's eyes. I felt sick at what she had to go through, but selfishly enough, she didn't have it as bad as I did. I mean, I was seven! Thank god she knew what it was like for me, though.

"I'm glad your nightmare is over, Mrs. Cullen," I said without raising my hand. She smiled.

"Thank you, Alice. Now, we got off to a rough start the first day…but I completely understand! So, we're starting over. My name is Esme Cullen, welcome to seventh grade English!"

We laughed and said our names all at once. Mrs. Cullen shrugged. "Good enough. By the way, there are two students who have a birthday today, Rosalie and Jasper, come on up! I have cake…" She brought out cake and began lighting the candles. Carlisle helped her put the candles in as Rosalie and Jasper walked to the front of the room.

"How old are you two?" Mrs. Cullen asked.

"Thirteen," they said together.

"Everyone, sing 'Happy Birthday'!"

I swear I could see tears in Rosalie's eyes, and Jasper was grinning like a madman. I wondered how long they went without having a birthday party, or a birthday at all. Emmett and I led the class and sang the loudest.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Rosalie and Jasper, happy birthday to you!"

"Make a wish!" I shouted, remembering my last birthday I'd celebrated with my parents. It was my ninth birthday.

They closed their eyes and blushed a little, so I guessed it was about something romantic or embarrassing. Then, they blew out the candles a few times, and everyone cheered. Dr. and Mrs. Cullen began pulling out the candles with Jasper and Rosalie's help, and cut the cake. Mrs. Cullen put the iPod in the dock and began playing it on shuffle. We danced to the music a little while standing in line for cake. It was chocolate with different colored frosting! Yum! My favorite!

"I forgot to ask you what your favorite flavor was, so I'm sorry," Mrs. Cullen apologized.

"We've never really had it," Jasper said shrugging. Oh my god. I wanted to feed him the cake really bad right about now!

"Our parents said only good kids get cake," Rosalie added.

Esme and Carlisle looked like they were going to faint.

Jasper POV:

"Let's take a bite of cake at the same time, okay?" Rosalie asked excitedly.

"Yeah-" I started to say, but then Emmett clapped me on the back with his mouth already full. Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"Dude, I'm gonna feed Rosalie her first bite, and Alice is going to feed you yours, right, Ali?" he asked.

Alice blushed and nodded.

"When was the last time you had cake, Emmett?"

"I dunno, I was young, before my parents acted like drunk assholes,"

"We've never had cake," Rosalie said sadly.

"You are in for a surprise, girl!" Alice said mischievously.

"Wait, your parents are nice?" Rosalie asked.

Alice's face fell. "They took my dad and my mom got shot. I was left with my big sister Cynthia, who never took care of me. I'll tell you more when we're alone together. It's too personal to say here. Anyway, she said only teens get cake,"

"Bitch," Rosalie hissed. "So you haven't had cake in…how many years?"

"Four. My last birthday where I got cake was when I was celebrating my ninth birthday. But still, you two have it worse. You've _never_ had cake!"

Emmett POV:

"Ok, Rose, you ready for your first bite of heaven?" I asked, and she giggled.

"Mmm-hmm," She parted her lips slightly and I brought the forkful of cake to her mouth. She moaned as she pulled the bite off her fork and chewed.

"Oh my god! I can't believe what I've been missing! Mrs. Cullen, you're like, sent from above, I swear!" she said, looking at our teacher who was beaming with pride.

She ate the rest of that cake before I finished my piece! Alice was feeding Jasper his cake, and he was moaning with delight. She laughed and wiped his mouth free of crumbs. I did the same to Rosalie.

When everyone finished their pieces, it was almost gone, so we finished it up before getting up to dance. Mrs. Cullen started dancing with her husband and then she got up on the table and danced crazily, making us all laugh. We too, got up on the tables and partied on our desks! This was the most fun I'd had in a long time! A slow song started playing, and we found partners. Jasper was twirling Alice around the floor. I took Rosalie in my arms and she rested her head against my chest. I caressed her back and then her hair as we swayed to the soft music. When it was over, she looked up at me and smiled.

"My angel," I told her while I pushed her hair out of her face. "You're beautiful,"

"Thanks,"

Then, Mrs. Cullen announced something out of the ordinary: "You guys are all invited to our house for a sleepover!"

**Please read and review! I love that CullenLove678 and MissEsme reviewed every single chapter! Keep it up, guys! Thank you so much! It means a lot to me as a writer!**


	16. Epilogue: Happy Family

Alice POV:

We filed out of the bus that was parked in front of the Cullens' house. Renee and Bella were sleeping over, too. We were so excited, because we'd never been to a sleepover before. I didn't know what it was like.

"Welcome home!" Mrs. Cullen sang, opening the door for us. "By the way, if you are not in school, you _have_ to call me Esme! Mrs. Cullen makes me sound strict!"

We took off our shoes and put them to the side of the massive door in the huge foyer.

"Whoa!" we all cried when we gazed around the big house. It was a mansion!

"Do you want a house tour?" Carlisle asked us.

"Sure!" I excitedly agreed.

I was a little jealous of Bella and Renee because they'd been to this beautiful house millions of times, but I was glad to finally be in a house I was proud of, even if it wasn't my house. We were exploring the grand bedroom where Esme and Carlisle sleep, the colossal bathroom, the grand piano, the kitchen with delicious smells emanating from the oven, the living room with a flat screen TV almost as big as a wall, the dining room table that was about a mile long, a chandelier in the front room, and a dance hall. The dance hall was only used for parties. This was a party, for sure!

We got dressed up in Esme and Renee's old homecoming and prom dresses and had a little dance. I loved being twirled around in Jasper's arms. Then, Charlie Swan brought over all our clothes after arresting my sister, Rosalie and Jasper's parents, and Emmett's parents. He wheeled a little girl in the front hall.

"Rosalie, I believe she's yours?"

"Thanks, Chief Swan!" she said, running to the girl and giving her a hug.

"MOMMY!" the girl squealed.

"Hey, Ashley. How are you, baby?"

"I missed you!"

"I missed you too, sweetheart," she said, ruffling Ashley's blonde hair. She noticed the weirded-out expression on my face and took me upstairs so we could talk in private.

"My brother raped me when I was seven, and I was an early bloomer, because I was pregnant at age eight," she explained.

"Oh…God! That's…he's a pedophile!" I was disgusted.

"So tell me your story,"

"My sister didn't care about me. She brought home men different hours of the night and they raped me, starting when I was nine years old. I've never gotten pregnant, because I haven't started puberty yet,"

"Lucky you. But I'm sorry you were continuously raped. That's horrible!"

We hugged each other and then went back downstairs. Everyone was dancing to music and making dinner. There was a little food fight, but Esme and Carlisle cleaned it up for us. They wouldn't let me do anything to help! This was different. Later, we made chocolate chip cookies and ate them all up, along with Oreo ice cream.

We watched a movie and I snuggled into Jasper's side. He put his arm around my waist and we held hands. Before I knew it, his lips were on mine. I pressed myself harder into him and we were both moaning. People cheered and I started blushing as I pulled away from him.

Esme led us girls upstairs as it was midnight. We got into our pajamas and went into the guest room that had many bunk beds and one large bed. I shared a bunk with Rosalie, and Bella shared one with Angela. We started jumping on the bed and giggling, and surprisingly, Esme joined in.

"This is fun!" I squealed.

"I'm hyper!" Rosalie shouted, holding her bloated stomach.

"WHOOOOOOOOOOO!" Bella screamed, surprising us all. We didn't know she had that much energy!

Just then, Rosalie stopped jumping and fell on the bed, her face crumpled in pain.

"OH GOD!" she shrieked.

"What is it, baby?" Esme asked, concerned. We, too, stopped jumping and sat around her.

Rosalie POV:

Oh no! The baby was coming, just when I was having fun with my friends and Esme! This was such a bad time.

"I'm sorry, Esme. OOOOOOOOOOOH GOD IT HURTS!" I clutched my stomach and writhed in pain.

"One second!" she said, holding up a finger while calling "CARLISLE, COME QUICK!"

"THE BABY'S COMING!" I added.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" I cried. I pulled up my shirt a little and opened my legs wide. Alice and Bella both unbuttoned my jeans and unzipped them. Angela, Emily, and Maggie helped strip me from the waist down. Esme came back in with a towel and put it under my butt and my legs. I groaned a few more times and started panting.

"Ooo ooo hee. Ooo ooo hee," I breathed along with the girls. Esme was rubbing soothing circles on my back.

"You'll be okay, Rose," Bella whispered while holding my hand. Alice took hold of my other one. Carlisle came in with his doctor tools. I wasn't really worried about him doing anything bad to me, because he was a doctor, this was his job, and there were a bunch of girls here, along with his wife. Not like I was alone or anything.

"How far apart are your contractions?" he asked me.

"I don't know. UGGGGGGGGGGGGH! IT HURTS REALLY BAD!" I sobbed.

Esme combed her fingers through my hair. "When you get a cramp from being in labor, which you are now, that's called a contraction, when you say it hurts," she explained.

"Thanks. Maybe thirty seconds,"

This was the most excruciating and intense pain I'd had in my life since age eight, only when I was eight, it felt like I was going to die. I was too little to give birth, but I was a little bigger now.

"You are 100 percent effaced and 10 centimeters dilated," Carlisle reported to me.

"Start pushing," Esme advised.

"Push! Push!" the girls encouraged me.

"I'M PUSHING!" I screamed through my tears.

"I can see its head!" Renee shouted.

"You can do it, Rosalie! It's almost out!" Bella added.

I pushed a few more times and screamed in pain. When the baby was all the way out, I lay back on the bed, panting. Carlisle picked it up and announced. "It's a girl!"

"Yay! I get a sissy!" Ashley cheered and clapped her little hands.

The blood was cleaned off the baby and then he gave her to me. She was so tiny and adorable. I kissed her all over and hoped she was all right. I counted ten fingers and ten toes. But I gasped when I saw her small upturned nose, very wide mouth, large lips, small chin and puffiness around the eyes.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked, fearing the answer. Not even Ashley had looked like that as a baby.

Carlisle looked her over. "Nothing. It looks like she's got William's Syndrome,"

"What do I do? Is she gonna die soon?" I panicked.

"No, nothing to worry about, Rosalie! She's just special ed, that's all. She will be very friendly and polite, be more comfortable with adults than her peers, have sensitive hearing, and she will be obsessed with classical music. You will have to keep an eye out for her at all times, because she will go up to random strangers and say hi and have conversations with them. For all she knows, they could be a rapist or serial killer. She could be abducted or killed. But other than that, she is perfectly normal. She will talk and walk just fine,"

I relaxed. So I'd have to be a little overprotective, no problem! "I'll name her Emeline Rose,"

"Boys, you can come in now!" Leah shouted.

Emmett was first at my side. He stroked my cheek and then held my hand. He then patted the girl's head. She sighed happily in my arms.

"She's so beautiful," I said, still crying. I bent down to whisper in her ear. "No matter if you're disabled or not,"

"Let's call her Emmy sometimes," Alice said, playing with her little fingers.

"That's so cute. Baby Emmy," Bella cooed.

"Ashley hold baby?" my other daughter asked.

"Sure, kiddo!" Emmett said, ruffling her hair. He lifted Emmy up from my arms and put her into Ashley's lap in the wheelchair. They looked so adorable together that everyone snapped pictures.

"You know, I could play the mother role, Rosalie. And Carlisle will be happy playing the father role, until you become a legal age to care for two disabled children. You can pass them off as your sisters if you want. That's what most people will think anyway," Esme said.

"But Esme, I want to be with them all the time when I'm not in school! They can't just stay here!"

Emmett wiped my tears away and kissed my lips. It felt amazing.

"Baby, you can see them every day, because we're adopting you guys- Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper- because you have dangerous home lives. The rest of you…if you do have bad home lives too, do you want us to foster you until someone can care for you?" Esme asked.

I was so surprised. I laughed and cheered at the same time.

"Sure, you can foster us," Emily said.

"Those suits and dresses are all yours, by the way. You don't have to pay us a cent!" Carlisle announced.

We cheered again. Jasper lifted up Alice and spun her around. Emmett helped me off the bed and groped each other while kissing. And my little girls giggled happily.

The rest of our life was perfect. The night after, Esme and Carlisle took us to our first homecoming game and soon, we were cheerleaders and football players! We went to amusement parks, trips around the world, got tons of clothes and movies, anything we wanted! We were rich with sweet little girls to take care of, and we had the family we'd always wanted! Esme was made Teacher of the Year. And our parents and Royce? We never saw those creeps again. They were in prison for fifty years to life!

For the first time, I was tucked into bed and kissed on the forehead and my cheeks, first by Esme and then by Carlisle. They said "I love you and good night, sweetie!"

I blew them each a kiss and they left the room. "Bye, Mom and Dad!"

We got something we'd never had before, something we'd always wished for.

We got protection and love.

**This is the end! I hope you loved it! Please read and review!**

**Next Story: Esme plays around with Carlisle at a club, they are both drunk. After her father finds out she's pregnant, she is forced to marry Charles and move to Ohio! What happens when she and Carlisle meet again (but formally and sober!) when she works as a nanny for him 13 years later?**


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